Leap of Faith
by liz1967
Summary: What happens when the great 007 loses his memory and M appears to be the only one who still believes in him.
1. Chapter 1

Leap of Faith

M opened the door to her flat and let out a long sigh ash she turned and waived to her driver before entering, flipping on the hall light and depositing her keys on the table. She was in the process of removing her coat when her phone began to ring. Letting out an annoyed grunt, she looked at the screen and hit the answer button.

"Mr. Tanner, miss me already? "She asked in a sarcastic tone

"Ma'am, sorry to interrupt your evening, but we need you to come to medical as soon as possible" said Tanner in an unusually serious tone

"What is it Tanner? I've just literally walked thru my front door?" she grumbled as she draped her coat over the banister at the foot of her stairs.

"It's Bond Ma'am, he's been involved in some sort of accident"

"What's has he gone and done this time?" she asked

"He was brought in about an hour ago. The cause of his injuries have yet to be determined..."

"How bad is it?" interrupted M, her tone suddenly changing from annoyed to concerned

"He has three broken ribs, multiple contusions and…"

"And what?" she asked as she picked up her coat and keys

"I think you should see for yourself Ma'am" replied Tanner hesitantly

"Is he conscious?"

"In a manner of speaking"

"Tanner, would you stop beating around the bush and just tell me, is he alright or isn't he?" she demanded

"It all depends on how you define alright"

"I'm on my way!" she snapped "And Tanner, this had better be more than a few cuts, bruises and a bump on the head or so help me I will have your head on a platter"

"Yes Ma'am" replied Tanner as he hung up and turned back toward the room containing the famous 007

"She's on her way" said Tanner as he approached the doctor treating James

"And she is aware of the situation?" replied the doctor

"In a manner of speaking, yes she has been briefed"

"And I assume she is aware of the severity of the situation?"

"Not entirely, I thought it would be best to let you explain further" replied Tanner

"I see, well then, let me know when she arrives"

Tanner began pacing the floor outside James room, occasionally glancing in while the medical staff attended to James. He knew that he should have warned her, given her some sort of idea as to the nature of James' injuries, but something told him the even if he had warned her, this was something she was going to have to see to believe.

M stormed thru the door with a face like thunder on her way to the medical department and headed straight for Tanner.

"Well where is he?" she asked impatiently

"Right thru there" replied Tanner as he motioned toward the door "But Ma'am, there is something you should know"

"And that would be?"

"He isn't quite himself at the moment" replied Tanner uneasily

"Not quite himself?"

"No, if fact it I didn't know him…"

"Can I see him?" she interrupted

"I think you should talk to the doctor first" replied Tanner as he gently guided her down the hall.

M was able to glance in the room on her way down the hall, and what she saw caused her to stop suddenly and gasp.

"Ma'am?"

All M could do was stare into the room at James, who was sitting in the bed with a terrified look on his face and the sheets clutched tightly to his chest with one hand as though they provided some sort of invisible protection while the other hand was handcuffed to the bed.

"Tell the doctor I wish to see him now!" said M sharply as she turned and entered the room.

James' eyes were darting around the room and she could tell he was in full panic mode, much like that of a frightened child. When he saw her a momentary look of fear crossed his face as she slowly walked toward the bed.

She reached out her hand to him and he stared back at her with a degree of fear in his eyes she had never seen before as he pulled away from her causing her to become alarmed. James was perhaps the bravest man she had ever known, staring down terrorists and psychotic killers, fear was an emotion she had never associated with him.

"Excuse me Ma'am, may I have a word" said the doctor quietly as he stood in the doorway.

"Yes, of course" she said softly as she backed out of the room, closing the door behind her

"I assume by the look on your face that you have questions" said the doctor as he motioned to a nearby conference room

M nodded as she entered the room and took a seat, with Tanner by her side as the doctor sat across from her. Several moments passed as the doctor scanned thru James' medical file before he began to speak.

"What we have here is a case of Amnesia…"

"Amnesia?" interrupted M

"Yes Ma'am, but not your ordinary run of the mill amnesia. In addition to the beating he received, he was given some sort of neural inhibitor, something similar to Sodium Pentothal only this was a homemade concoction and we are still trying to determine all of the active ingredients that were used in the processing…"

"What you are basically telling me is that some armature chemist mixed together God knows what and injected my best agent and then proceeded to pummel him until he was unconscious, then left him in a heap in an ally," snapped M

"That about sums up the situation Ma'am" replied the doctor

"Does he have any idea who his assailants were?" she asked

"Ma'am" said the doctor in a rather condescending tone, "He doesn't even know who he is let alone who his assailants were"

"I see" said M as she closed her eyes and began gently massaging her temple

"That's not all"

"What? You mean you have more good news" replied M sharply

"The part of his brain that governs his ability to determine appropriate behavior also seems to have been effected"

"In short Ma'am, 007 has become a threat to National Security" said Tanner quietly

"Nonsense" snapped M "Jame…007 is no more a threat to National Security than I am! Look at him! Cowering behind a blanket as though it possessed some sort of magical power of protection, afraid of his own shadow… and why is he chained to the bed?"

"007 has been experiencing sudden and massive personality changes. One minute he is passive, afraid and quiet, and the next he is aggressive and full of rage. The handcuff is there for his protection."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"I would like to keep him here for the time being for observation"

"I see" replied M as she rose from her chair "May I see him?"

"Yes, but try to be brief, he needs to rest" warned the doctor

M made her way back across the hall and stood at the door, taking a deep breath before she entered

"Do you want me to come in with you?" asked Tanner as he stood beside her

M looked up at him with a look that nearly took his breath away. He knew that M had a special place in her heart for Bond, and although she had no reservations when it came to giving him the formal dressing down he deserved after nearly every mission, he honestly felt that the two of them rather enjoyed the endless bickering and banter that they shared.

"Thank you Tanner" she said as she placed her hand on his arm "But I think I will be fine"

"Right then, I'll wait for you here, just in case you need me" he replied as he covered her small hand with his, giving it a light squeeze.

"Shall we?" asked the doctor as he put his hand on the door handle

M nodded, and then followed the doctor into the room.

James was sitting in the bed, leaning back against the pillows when M and the doctor returned. She could tell immediately that he was different from before, there was a certain cockiness about him. He seemed agitated and restless, a vast difference from the cowering, frightened man she had seen not thirty minutes earlier.

"James, how are we feeling?" asked the doctor as he approached the bed

"WE are feeling fine!" snapped James "And it would be much appreciated if you could remove this bloody handcuff!"

"Now James, as I told you before, the handcuff is there for your protection" replied the doctor as he attempted to examine James' head

James pulled away, tossing his head back and forth causing the doctor to take a step back.

"James, do you know who this is?" he asked as he motioned to M

James narrowed his eyes and stared at her for a moment. He cocked his head to the side and then an odd smile formed across his face.

"She is the big boss, and a beautiful one at that" said James

"Yes, but do you know her name?"

"Something in her eyes tells me that I cannot answer that question"

"I need you to answer the question James" said M as she took a step forward "Do you know my name?"

James stared at her as though he were boring a hole thru her with his eyes as he tried to answer the question. His frustration was clearly evident, his breathing had increased to where he was nearly hyperventilating while his eyes began to fill with tears and he finally turned his head to the side in anger.

M took a step forward and slowly reached out to take his hand. The doctor leaned over to stop her, but she shot him an icy glare as she proceeded to take James' hand.

"He will not hurt me!" she said firmly

The doctor took a step back, clearly unhappy with her comment. James' behavior was unpredictable at best, and given that he was a trained killing machine for MI6 along with the fact that currently he had no idea of who he was, there was no way to be sure that he would not hurt the diminutive head of MI6

James took her hand, pulling her closer as he held her hand against his chest while he searched her face, desperately trying to remember.

M reached out with her other hand and gently palmed the side of his face, causing him to collapse against her. She put her free arm around him and cradled him against her as his breathing slowly began to even out a bit and he began to relax again. He may not be able to say her name, but James knew that she was someone he trusted. He took his free hand and snaked it around her waist pulling her closer to him, causing the doctor to become alarmed, but M waived him away as she continued to hold James to her, rubbing soothing circles on his back as she placed a soft kiss to his forehead.

"It's alright James, you are safe now" she said quietly

James maintained his hold on her for several moments and it was clear to M that he had finally relaxed enough for her to safely untangle herself from him

"Where are you going?" he asked as she pulled away. The confusion in his eyes, nearly breaking her heart

"I need to speak to the doctor" she whispered as she lightly kissed his forehead

"Please don't leave me" he said in a shaky tone

"Don't worry James, I'll be right back"

M headed toward the door, motioning to the doctor to follow. Once outside the room she turned to Tanner and shook her head as she wiped away a tear.

"Are you alright Ma'am?" he asked

"I can't leave him here" she said quietly

"All due respect Ma'am, but we really do not have much of a choice…"

"Mr. Tanner is right Ma'am" interjected the doctor "He is too far unstable to be released. We have no idea when his personality will change again, and there is absolutely no way to tell if he will become violent…"

"ENOUGH!" snapped M "007 will not hurt me, he has already proven that, and although I understand why you want to keep him here, I think that it would be in his best interest for him to be around things that are familiar to him" she said calmly as she glanced back into the room at James

"Ma'am, you…you are not suggesting that he be released?" said the doctor with a look of disbelief

Tanner rolled his eyes as he looked away in an attempt to conceal a smirk. He knew what was coming. No one in their right mind would ever question M's decision, especially when her mind was clearly made up, and certainly not when it involved a certain 007

"Mr. Tanner" she said sharply "Make the necessary arrangements for 007's release"

"You can't be serious!" shouted the doctor

"I have faith in him doctor" she said confidently "I know him better than anyone, and I know that what he needs right now is to feel safe, and clearly he does not feel safe here" she snapped

"But Ma'am, I cannot stress enough the risk you are taking by letting him go home alone" retorted the doctor angrily

"He will not be alone. My staff and I will personally stay with him until this crisis is over" she replied "Now if there is nothing further, would you please see to it that I have all the necessary documentation and medication he will need"

"Yes Ma'am" replied the doctor angrily "but again I cannot stress the risk you are taking"

"Duly noted. I will have him back in the morning so that he can be reevaluated" she said as she turned and headed back into the room.

"You're back" said James with a hint of surprise in his voice

"I said I would be back" she replied as she came to sit on the edge of the bed

"What should I call you? Clearly you are not my mother" he said with a smile

"Why don't you call me M"

"Alright M. Any chance of getting this thing off my hand?" he said nodding toward the handcuff

"Yes, as a matter of fact, the guard should be in shortly to remove that"

"Why is it that you trust me when everyone else here clearly does not?"

"Because I know you, and I believe in you" she said quietly "I also know that you would never hurt me" she said with a weak smile

James reached out and took her hand, pulling her toward him until she lost her balance and landed on his chest. James grimaced in pain as he reached out and cupped her cheek, pulling her face closer so that he could rest his forehead against hers

"Thank you" he whispered

"Come on, let's get you home" she replied as she sat up and retrieved his clothes

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2 chapter 2

**Thank you for all the kind reviews. I will do my best to stay on top of the updates and not leave you hanging for days on end :)**

"Where will you take him Ma'am?" asked a curious Tanner "Your flat or his?"

"To tell you the truth, I really had not given it much thought, his I suppose" replied M as they waited for James to finish dressing and the doctor to bring the discharge papers

"I would take him to your flat, if he becomes violent, you have more options" said Tanner with a nervous laugh "But in all honesty M is it wise to take him home?"

"If it were you would you want me to leave you here?" she asked in a serious tone as she began to grow more impatient

"I suppose not. Do you want me to stay with you...just in case?"

As M was about to answer, James opened the door and hesitantly looked down the hall at them

"It's alright James, you can come out" said M in a calm tone

James did as he was told and came to stand beside her, looking down with a grin

"You really are short aren't you?"

"I prefer vertically challenged" replied M with a slight laugh

"I can see right down the front of your blouse from up here" he giggled "Your breasts are rather impressive"

"That will be enough James!" she said firmly as the smile quickly disappeared from her face

"Sorry, just pointing out the obvious."

"Yes...well, as you pointed out, I am the Big Boss, so please try to refrain from making such observations in the future," warned M

"This should be interesting," muttered Tanner under his breath

"What was that Mr. Tanner?"

"Nothing Ma'am" he quickly answered as he suddenly found the floor to be rather fascinating

After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor finally appeared with a bottle of pills and a set of instructions.

"If he shows any signs of becoming violent I want you to promise that you will lock yourself in a secure room and call for help. DO NOT attempt to restrain him yourself! Do I make myself clear?" asked the doctor as he handed her the bottle and the papers

"Perfectly, now may I take him home?" snapped M

"If you insist, however, for the record, I am still not in favor of your decision"

"Then I guess it is a good thing that she doesn't really give a damn what you think then isn't it" hissed James

"That's enough James!" said M sharply as she took his arm and guided him toward the door "Do not make me regret this decision," she warned

"You won't... Regret is unprofessional," he said with a grin

M froze in her tracks and looked up at James "Where did you hear that?"

"I don't know?" he replied shrugging his shoulders

"Ma'am, your car is waiting," said Tanner as he approached them

"You're Tanner, the bean counter aren't you" said James

"Yes I am Tanner, but I can assure you I am not a bean counter," replied Tanner

"Sure you are. All that is missing from your official Bean counter uniform is the pocket protector" quipped James "And you really shouldn't wear brown, it makes you look pasty"

"JAMES!" snapped M

"Well it does," he said quietly as he got in the car

"Ma'am are you absolutely sure you don't want me to come with you?" asked Tanner nervously

"I'm sure, but if it will make you feel better I will leave my phone on the entire time," she said as she got in beside James and closed the door

As the car pulled away, the doctor came to stand beside Tanner.

"She has no idea what she's gotten herself into does she?" said Tanner with worry etched across his face

"No, and that's what I am afraid of" replied the doctor as he walked back inside

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The plan was to take James to his own flat, but upon discovering that he had lost his keys in the attack, M had no other choice than to take him to hers instead. Once they had arrived, M unlocked and opened the door, stepping inside and motioning for James to follow. James stepped just inside the threshold and looked around. Nothing appeared to be familiar as he scanned the room with his eyes finally resting on M.

"Does anything look familiar?" she asked as she led him thru to the sitting room

James just stared at her with a blank look, as he shook his head no.

"May I ask you a question" asked M as she motioned for him to sit on the sofa

James nodded as he took a seat.

"Do you know what it is that you do for a living?" she asked, curious about what his answer would be

"I kill people" he said nonchalantly "Oh sometimes I blow things up, but mostly I kill people for the government"

"I see," said M as she sat beside him "What else do you remember?"

"I recall sneaking into an embassy somewhere and stealing some documents I wasn't supposed to steal and getting reprimanded" he said with a smile "And I remember blowing up a submarine and making it look like an accident...You ordered me to do that didn't you" he said as he looked at her suspiciously

"Not exactly" she replied uncomfortably "As I recall you were to take only one set of documents, NOT the entire file cabinet, and as for the Submarine, you were to rescue a gentleman being held prisoner, NOT sink the bloody sub!" she snapped "But enough talk about that for now. What I want to know is how is it that you can remember all of that and yet you cannot remember my name?, what day it is? Or what happened to you?" she said with a puzzled look

"I don't know" he said quietly "But I do remember how pretty you are when you are angry," he said with a twinkle in his eye

"What?"

"I remember that you are downright beautiful when you are really, truly mad"

"James...I..."

"No seriously I remember that every time we have a disagreement, you stand there ranting up a storm and all I want to do is reach over kiss you"

"Stop this James. Don't be absurd, I am old enough to be your mother," she said as she rose and walked across the room in an attempt to put some much-needed distance between them.

James sat back on the sofa and stared at his hands.

"I've made you angry haven't I?" he said quietly

"No" she said softly, "It's the drug talking, not you. I am sure that when the drug wears off, you will see things as they are. I am your boss, you and I... well we tend to work very closely at times and it is only natural that we have a rather unique relationship."

"How unique?" he asked arching his eyebrow

"Not THAT unique!" she said as she headed for the kitchen "Are you hungry?" she called over her shoulder

"No but thanks for asking," he shouted back as he rose and began examining some of the figurines on the mantle picking each one up and replacing them carefully.

M stood in the doorway and watched as he moved from one end of the mantle to the other, looking at each object before moving on to the next.

James was startled when he realized that she was watching him.

"Afraid I'll break one?' he asked

"No, just wondering if any of them look familiar?"

Nope, but that one on the end, the one that's almost hidden behind the picture...it's God awful" he said with all the honesty of a small child

"Really? You think so? You gave it to me" she replied with a smirk

"Did I? What was I thinking?"

"I don't know about you, but I am rather tired," she said as she motioned for him to follow

She led them up the stairs and stopped at the door of the guest room.

"You may sleep in here. You will find some of my late husband's pajamas in the top drawer. I'll be back in a minute to give you your medication," she said as she continued down the hall to her room

James stepped into the room, found the pajamas in the drawer, and dressed for bed. When M returned she found him sitting on the edge of the bed with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Something wrong?" she asked

James turned and looked at her and his expression changed from one of puzzlement to one she could not quite pin down.

"WOW, now there's a sight you don't see every day," he said as he stared at her

"What?" she asked as she quickly looked down to make sure that everything was covered

"The boss in her night dress and a sexy one at that!"

"JAMES!"

"Again just pointing out the obvious."

"I thought I told you to temper your observations and if that is not possible then could you at least keep them to yourself?" she said in an annoyed tone as she handed him his medication and a glass of water.

Once he had swallowed the pills, she tucked him in and headed for the door.

"I will be just down the hall if you need me, but please knock before entering," she said as she flipped off the light

"Why must I knock? Are you expecting company?"

"I know you didn't hit your head THAT hard. Just try to remember to knock"

"Yes M" he said as he settled down and closed his eyes.

M made her way back to her room and closed the door. She took off her dressing gown and laid it on the end of the bed instead of hanging it up just in case, and she took out her phone and dialed Tanner.

"M, is everything alright," said Tanner, who was half asleep

"Everything is fine, just checking in"

"And Bond?"

"He is asleep in the guest room. I thought you would like that little detail in the event of an emergency so that you would know where he was supposed to be," she said in a slightly sarcastic, slightly serious tone

"Thank you. He hasn't been acting odd has he? No sudden mood changes?"

"No, but the filter on his brain seems to be a bit clogged at the moment"

"I don't understand?"

"It appears that whatever he is thinking, he feels the need to say."

"Oh I see, THAT could be a problem"

"Yes, well. He has a vague recollection of what he actually does for a living and a few memories of past missions..."

"Oh that's an even bigger problem"

"That was my feeling. For the time being, I think it best if we limit his exposure to the outside world and its inhabitants to the doctor, me, you and Ms. Moneypenny if necessary"

"Agreed."

"If you would clear my schedule for the next few days, I will stay with him as much as possible"

"Do you think that is wise?"

"Believe it or not Mr. Tanner, Bond knows things that are well above your security clearance and pay grade"

"Understood Ma'am, limited contact unless absolutely necessary"

"Thank you Tanner, I will call you in the morning," she said as she hung up and crawled into bed.

It had not been more than an hour before M heard James thrashing around in the bed, moaning and mumbling. She quickly threw on her dressing gown and ran down the hall, cracking the door slightly to find him shadow boxing with what she could only assume was a hallucination. M cautiously approached the bed and reached over to put her hand on his shoulder, but as soon as she touched him, he turned and grasped her wrist, throwing her down on the bed next to him as he straddled her and raised his fist.

"JAMES!" she screamed as she attempted to move to avoid the punch he was about to throw

James opened his eyes looked down at the now frightened M as he lowered his arm. The realization that he had almost pummeled his beautiful boss moved him to tears as he removed himself, pulling her along with him and sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her in his arms as he cried.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry," he kept whispering as he rocked her back and forth

"It's alright James, I'm alright," she said quietly as she clung to him and allowed him to rock her until he had calmed down.

"James" she said in a strangled tone as he held her tightly to his chest "I need you to loosen your grip, I cannot breath"

James immediately released her and pulled away as M caught her breath.

"Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked as he stared at her

"No, my dear boy, I may have a bruise or two in the morning but nothing serious" she replied as she reached over and palmed his cheek. James leaned into her touch and then pulled away again

"What is it?" she asked, searching his face for some clue as to what was going thru his head at the moment

"I shouldn't be here, I could have killed you," he said as he stared at his hands

"But you didn't. As I said earlier, I have faith in you"

In a moment of relief, passion or both, James reached over and took her face in his hands and pulled her to him, placing a soft, gentle kiss to her lips. M tried her best not to respond, but at the same time, her own training kicked in and told her that if she pulled away it could very well send him the other direction into a moment of rage or worse rejection so she melted into the kiss and allowed him to decide when it should end. When James finally broke the kiss, he had managed to pull her into the bed so that she was lying beside him with his arms wrapped around her while he rested his head against her chest and closed his eyes.

"Stay with me" he mumbled. She had no other choice than to put her arms around him and hold him close as she rested her chin on top of his head

"Alright, but just for tonight" she whispered back as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Chapter 3 Chapter 3

M woke to find James comfortably nestled against her with his arm draped across her. A smile crept across her face as she looked down at him. "He looks so peaceful," she thought as she ran her fingers lightly thru his hair, causing him to stir.

"Good Morning...How do you feel?" she asked quietly

James opened his eyes and blinked a few times before looking around the room before turning his attention back to her.

"Is something wrong?' she asked as she looked into his confused eyes

"Where am I?" he asked

"We are in my guest room. You had a nightmare...," she said as she cupped his cheek

"Oh" he said as he pulled away from her

"James" she said as she sat up "Do you remember anything about last night?"

He continued to stare at her blankly, causing her to become slightly alarmed.

"Why am I here?" he finally said

"You had an accident, don't you remember?"

"Is that why my chest hurts?"

"Most likely. You have three broken ribs"

"Oh" was all he said

"James...Do you know who I am?" she asked hesitantly

James thought about her question for a moment

"My...wife?"

"What makes you think I might be your wife?"

"Well...you are definitely not my Mother" he replied with a weak smile

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, I am far too old to be sleeping with my Mother"

"You have a point there, but no, I am not your wife," she said with a laugh as she ran the pad of her thumb across his cheekbone

"If you are not my wife then...?"

"I am you boss...My name is M" she said softly

"M"

James reached up and covered her small hand with his as he turned his face and placed a soft kiss to the palm of her hand. He noticed the bruises on her wrist as he pulled away and pushed up the sleeve of her dressing gown to take a closer look.

"Were you also in an accident?" he asked as he examined her arm

"No, not exactly" she replied as she pulled her arm back

"Then what happened?"

"It's not important right now," she said as she sat up

"Of course it is...you've been hurt! Who did this to you?" he demanded

"I said, it's not important"

"Did...did I do that to you?" he asked quietly as he stared at her wrist

M reached down and tilted his chin up so she could look him in the eyes

"It was an accident" she said slowly "You didn't know what you were doing"

James got up and paced around the room before flinging the door open, slamming his fist against the door casing and storming out of the room. M sprang off the bed and followed him only to find him slumped on the step just outside the door.

"James" she said quietly as she slowly sat down beside him and took his hand

"It WAS an accident"

James nodded as he hesitated briefly before he reached over, pulled her into his arms, and held her tightly while the tears slipped down his cheeks

"I'm sorry," he whispered

"I know" she replied as she pulled away "Tell you what, why don't you go and get cleaned up while I go and fix us something for breakfast and then we will go back to Medical so they can check you over?"

"Alright" he said as he stood and offered her his hand, helping her up

"I...I really am sorry"

"I know" she replied as she watched him disappear into the bedroom

After they had eaten and M had dressed they made their way back to Medical. While James was having his vitals checked, M managed to corner the doctor and pull him into an adjoining conference room.

"How did it go last night?" asked the doctor with all the optimism of a storm cloud

"Let's just say that it was interesting and leave it at that" she said coolly "But I think we have a bigger problem"

"Oh and what is that?" he asked as he looked down at her, and noticed some slight bruising on her wrist. The doctor reached down and took her arm, shoving her sleeve up to examine the extent of her injury "What the hell happened? I thought I made it clear that you were not to try to restrain him should he become violent!"

"I didn't and he was not being violent! He was having a nightmare or a hallucination or both and I simply put my hand on his shoulder...he didn't know what he was doing and this morning he had no recollection of the incident!" she snapped as she pulled her arm back.

"I tried to warn you," he muttered under his breath "Now what was this bigger problem you mentioned? Is he still spouting truths whether you want to hear them or not?"

"He doesn't remember," she said quietly

"Doesn't remember what?"

"Anything! At least last night he had a vague recollection of who I was, of who he was and what he does for a living, but this morning he had absolutely no idea and more to the point, he has no recollection of last night, the accident, being here at medical, any of the conversations we had, inadvertently attacking me...nothing. It's as if..."

"I'm afraid it's a side effect of the drug he was given. We are still trying to isolate all of the ingredients that were used but..."

"What can we do for him?" she interrupted

"As I said last night, I would like to keep him here for observation, but you in your infinite wisdom, decided to override my decision and take him home and look how well that worked out for you! He could have killed you!" snapped the doctor

"But he didn't!" she snapped back

"THIS TIME! He didn't kill you this time, but what about next time? What if you can't control him? We need to keep him hospitalized at least until this drug wears off..."

"And where exactly do you intend to place him?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes and glared at him, already suspecting what the answer was going to be

"The psych ward comes to mind"

"Over my dead body" she snapped, "You may as well shoot him in the head! Admittance to that ward would end his career"

"Better his career than your life!"

"You run your bloody tests and then release him. I will not institutionalize him, not now...not ever!"

"All due respect M, but you do realize that I can go over your head" replied the doctor

"You wouldn't dare!" she retorted as she stood toe-to-toe, glaring up at the nearly six foot five doctor

"Why do you insist on turning a blind eye whenever HE is concerned? even when it is for his own good. You always seem to put yourself and others at risk and for what? If I didn't know better..."

"Finish that sentence and it will be the last thing you say as a medical doctor here or any place else!" she warned

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" asked James as he appeared from out of nowhere and put a protective arm around M while he glared at the doctor

"No! No problem" said the doctor thru clenched teeth as he turned and walked away

"Not a very pleasant man is he?" said James

"Just a difference of opinion" she replied

"Can we go now? I don't like it here, it's not safe," he said nervously

"Why do you say that?"

"Just a feeling"

M had known James long enough to know that no matter what his mental status, his instincts were usually right on the mark.

"Yes...we can go'" she replied as she linked her arm with his and escorted him from the building

After a quick stop at her office to retrieve the spare key to James' flat, M and James left to go pick up a few things he would need for the next few days. If she had not been so worried about him, his reaction to his flat would have been amusing. As soon as she opened the door, James stepped in, looked around and gave her a rather puzzled look.

"I live here?" he asked

"Yes"

"Not very homey is it?" he observed

"Well, to be fair, you are not here much"

"Oh" he said as he wandered around the sitting room "It really could use a woman's touch"

"I'll remind you that you said that when you are feeling better" she chuckled

"May I ask you a question?"

"Of course"

"If you are my boss, then why were we in bed together this morning?"

"Well...it's complicated," she said blushing slightly

"Is it?"

"You had a nightmare, and when I came to check on you..."

"I hurt you," he said quietly

"Yes, but you apologized and I didn't have the heart to leave you alone..."

"But you could have?"

"Yes, but I didn't"

"And what is the nature of our relationship?" he asked, taking a step toward her

"Again, it's complicated" she said, growing more and more uncomfortable with his questions as she took a step back and collided with the wall behind her

"It doesn't have to be," he said as he took a step forward, put his hand above her head and leaned down to capture her lips in a gentle kiss

"James!" she said as she pushed him back "This cannot happen!"

"Why?"

"Because I...I am your boss, and you are not thinking with a clear mind at the moment, and..."

"And what?"

"It wouldn't be right...You might do something you will...we will regret" she said as she stepped away from him

"You don't want me," he said sounding disappointed

"It's not that. Maybe this was not such a good idea" she replied as she stepped further away

"I think I'll just go and get my things," he said as he wandered thru to the bedroom

M sat on the sofa, completely mystified by James' sudden amorous behavior. She had to admit that she found him to be very attractive, and the thought of being with James had crossed her mind on more than one occasion, but she had pushed the idea out of her mind, dismissing it as an absurd notion. "Why would he want to be with me? I am old enough to be his mother for Christ sake," she thought

James reappeared a few moments later with a bag in his hand and a rather odd expression on his face.

"Is something wrong?" she asked

"Do I not own anything other than Tom Ford Suits? I must have two dozen of them in the wardrobe," he said with a puzzled look

M could not help giggling as she stood up

"Well, you do like to dress to impress"

"Well who is it I am trying to impress?" he said shaking his head as he began scratching his arm

"What is wrong with your arm?" she asked as she rose and walked toward him

"I don't know they gave me a shot of..."

"Of what? They were only supposed to be checking your blood to see if the toxin levels had decreased," she said with a hint of concern

"They said it was...It was...some sort of vitamin I seemed to be lacking" he replied

"What else did they say?"

"Nothing really. Shall we go?" he said motioning toward the door

"Yes, of course" she nodded

As soon as they arrived back at her flat, M called Tanner and asked that he and Q pay a visit after hours. To say that she was suspicious was an understatement. She wanted a full accounting of the events from the previous evening, including how it was that James, who under normal circumstances would not be caught dead in the Medical department, ended up in said department. When she finished her call, M found James half-asleep on the sofa.

"Why don't you go up and lay down for a bit while I prepare lunch?" she said as she gently tugged at his arm

"What? Oh...sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep," he said sheepishly

"It' alright. You have been through a lot in the last twenty four hours and it only stands to reason that you would be tired"

"Where am I?" he asked as he looked around the room as though he had never been there before "and who are you?"

"Wait right here" she said as she hurried from the room to retrieve her cell phone, dialing Tanner as she returned

"Tanner? I think you and Q may need to alter your plans and come at once!" she said with a considerable amount of concern in her tone "And have Q bring his Medical bag"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Chapter 4 chapter 4

Tanner and Q arrived at M's flat as soon as time would allow them to get away from the office unnoticed; both were rather mystified by the request for their presence.

"Are you sure she didn't say why she wanted me to come along and bring a medical bag?" asked Q as he stood nervously outside her door

"She didn't say, but I bet it has something to do with Bond, it always has something to do with Bond when she is being secretive" replied Tanner as he rolled his eyes

Tanner took a breath and rang the bell, glancing at Q and trying not to laugh. The poor man was terrified, he looked like he had been called the headmasters office.

"Thank you both for coming so quickly" said M as she motioned for them to come inside, checking once they were in to make sure they had not been followed

"Why all the secrecy Ma'am?" asked Tanner

"Follow me" she replied as she led them thru to the sitting room

"Hello 007" said Q as he entered the room

James nodded to them, although he had no idea who they were.

"Q, I would like you to take a blood sample from 007 and have it analyzed, but I do not want you to use the lab in medical," she said sharply

"Yes Ma'am. Do you mind if I ask why you do not want to use the lab that is specifically designed for such tests?" he asked as he put his bag down and began to search for the proper instruments

"You have a medical degree do you not?"

"Yes" he replied suspiciously "as well as a degree in Applied Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Psychology and Philosophy" he said, still somewhat mystified by her request

"007 mentioned being given a vitamin shot this morning, however when I pulled up his medical chart, there is no mention of an shot being given"

"Ma'am there could be a very good explanation for that" chimed Tanner as he stood looking at a rather bewildered looking James, who remained motionless on the sofa, oblivious to the conversation taking place around him

"And would a vitamin shot do this?" she said motioning to James "He was fine when we left Medical, and within a few hours and after a twenty minute cat nap, he has no recollection of ever leaving this flat. In addition, he has no recollection of who I am or where he is...It's as if his memory has been wiped clean"

"Not your typical reaction to a vitamin shot" said Q as he moved closer to James "Has he ingested anything else since you left Medical?"

"I gave him some pain medication when we stopped by my office to pick up the spare key to his flat"

"I see," replied Q as he examined James' arm before drawing the blood sample

"The same thing happened this morning. He had no recollection of where he was, how he got here or any of the events from last night," she said in a worried tone

"It's almost as if he is in a trance," remarked Tanner as he moved closer

"The poor man is exhausted," replied M as she moved to sit on the arm of the sofa, draping her arm protectively around James' shoulders "He is terrified to close his eyes for fear that he will not remember when he opens them again"

James winced in pain and began to rub his ribs.

"I'll go and get your pain medication" Said M in a somewhat motherly tone as she rose and left the room, returning a few moments later with the tablets and a glass of water

"Do you mind if I have a look at those?" said Q as he held out his hand

M handed him the tablets and waited while Q examined them

"How often have you been giving these to him?" he asked

"Every four hours as instructed"

"Do you have the bottle these came in?"

"It's in the kitchen" she replied as she left and retuned with the bottle

Q took the bottle, first sniffing it, then taking a tablet and crushing it and tasting it. He closed the bottle and reached into his bag, producing another bottle

"Give him one of these instead," he said handing her the bottle

James took the medication, and then stared at the three of them with a rather lost and exhausted expression.

"007, I think it will be alright if you would like to go and lay down for a bit," said Q quietly

"I'm fine," croaked James

"Stubborn to the core...Good to know some things never change" said Tanner "Ma'am, here is the information you requested. Bond was brought in around eighteen hundred hours or six o'clock last night according to the security logs...

"But it was nearly ten o'clock when you phoned and you said that it had been less than an hour before..."

"Again, there may be a good explanation for all of this," replied Tanner optimistically

M rolled her eyes as she stared at her assistant

"Mr. Tanner, does it look like I was born yesterday? Because I can assure you that I have identification to prove otherwise," she snapped

"No Ma'am. I was merely pointing out that it could be a coincidence that..."

"What? A coincidence that the time you were given and the time on the security logs do not match or the fact that there is no mention of a vitamin shot being given when there is clearly evidence to the contrary?"

"Well..." he stammered

"Tanner! How long have you been my assistant? You should know by now that I do not believe in coincidence!"

"I suppose, when you put it that way..."

"I want you to do a full back ground check on any and all individuals in the Medical department," she snapped

"Including the doctor who treated 007?"

"Especially him, although" she said as she thought for a minute "It would have been impossible for him to have injected James with anything today as the doctor was with me the entire time we were there"

"I'm finished," said Q as he packed up his things "I will get these back to the lab for analysis. Call me if 007 has any more unusual side effects"

"As if total memory loss isn't unusual enough," quipped Tanner

M shot him an icy glare as she turned her attention back to Q

"I'm going to leave a light sedative with you, see if you can get him to take it. It's an organic compound so he shouldn't have any adverse effects"

"Thank you Q" replied M as she escorted them to the door

"And as always M, Please be careful. We still do not know WHAT he has been given, so there is no way to predict how he will react," warned Q

"Duly noted," she said as she closed the door

When she turned around, she found James standing in the doorway of the sitting room watching her.

"James, I didn't know you were there," she said nervously

"They really care about you," he said quietly

"They care about you as well," she said as she came to stand in front of him

"They are afraid I will hurt you"

"They are paid to worry. I know the truth, you will not hurt me," she said, reaching up to cup his cheek

"How can you be so sure? Look at your arms" he said gently pulling her hand away from his cheek "I did this didn't I?"

"James" she said, instinctively wrapping her arms around his waist and nestling against him, resting her head against his chest "You are just going to have to trust me" she whispered

"It would seem that trust is all I have at the moment" he replied as he held her close

"Why don't you go up and lay down for a while..."

"NO! I'm fine," he said sharply as he released her and headed back into the sitting room

"James, you need to rest!"

"Yeah and what if...What if I close my eyes and we have to start this nonsense all over again, the seemingly endless game of Who's who? To be quite honest, I am getting a little tired of it all," he said quietly as he sunk onto the sofa

"I know this is hard, but hopefully Q can shed some light on what has been happening to you," she said as she sat beside him "How about if I come up with you. I can stay with you..."

"I am quite sure you have better things to do with your time than to babysit me" he replied flashing her a weak smile

M took his hand and stood up, pulling him along with her.

"Trust me when I say that there is no place I would rather be," she said with a smile as she led him up to the guest room.

James reluctantly climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling while M retrieved a book from her room and then climbed in beside him.

"There, now you just close your eyes and try to sleep while I read," she said as she fluffed the pillows behind her

"Why are you doing this?" he asked as he rolled over on his side so that he was facing her

"Well that's a silly question!" she said as she put her book down

"No it isn't. How many Bosses' do you know that would take an employee home with them and play babysitter?" he asked

M chuckled to herself as she reached over and brushed a few stray strands of hair from his forehead.

"You are no ordinary employee," she said quietly "Now close your eyes, and that is an order!" she said playfully

James did close his eyes, and for a brief time, he was able to sleep, but flashes of recent events soon interrupted the peaceful sleep. They were only snippets of the last twenty-four hours, partial conversations and blurry faces, but they were enough to shake him from his sleep in full panic mode.

"James! What is it?" asked M as she cautiously put her hand on his shoulder

"Where is your service weapon?" he asked as tumbled out of bed and headed for the door, peaking out into the hall

"My what?"

"I know you have one! Where is it?"

"It's in my bedside table...Why?"

"Come with me" he said as he took her hand and pulled her off the bed

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm not leaving you here alone" he snapped

"Where are we going?" she demanded as she planted her feet

"It's not safe here," he whispered as he put his arm around her and forcefully guided her down the hall to her room.

Once they had reached the end of the hall, James poked his head into her room, looking around before he pulled her inside and closed the door behind them.

"Would you mind telling me what the hell is going on!"

"Shhh" he said has he held his finger to his lips

"James, you had better have a damn good reason for shushing me" she said in an irritated tone

"I do," he snapped as he retrieved her gun from the drawer

"And that would be?"

"Not now!" as he poked his head out the door and scanned the hallway "I think we have a clear shot at the front door" he said as he pulled his head back in the room

"Paranoia...that's a new side effect" she thought to herself as she stood in her room staring at James. "James...Do you know who I am?' she asked hesitantly

"Yes" he said as he crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek "You are the one person in my life who never gave up on me"

His admission brought tears to her eyes as she grasped his shirt and pulled him back to her, wrapping her arms around him.

"It's good to finally have you back," she whispered with a relieved smile

James reached down and tilted her chin up so he was facing her

"I never really left" he replied as he leaned down and gently kissed her "Now if you are through being overly sentimental, we need to get out of here" he said, releasing her while he headed for the door

"Where are we going?" she whispered as she peeked over his shoulder

"Somewhere they will never think to look" he replied as he took her hand and crept down the stairs and out the door.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Chapter 5 chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay. Hope it was worth it :)**

James grabbed M a jacket while she picked up her bag and keys as the two of them headed out the door and down the darkening street. The sun was just beginning to set, making it remarkably easy to stay hidden in the shadows. Once they had gone a few blocks, at quite a quick pace, James finally gave in to M's protesting and slowed down a bit to give her a chance to catch her breath.

"For Christ's sake James, slow down...unlike you, I have not kept up with the rigorous training required of an agent," she said in between gasps

"Sorry M" he said quietly as he pulled her into a secluded doorway to allow her to rest

"Who exactly are we running from?" she demanded

"I'm not sure"

"You drag me out of my flat and yet you are not sure why?"

"I will explain it all just as soon as I know that you are safe," he grumbled as he stepped out of the doorway, checking both ways, before he extended his hand to her

"Well, would it be too much to ask where we are going?"

"I would tell you, but you are not going to like it," he said as he put his arm around her and hailed a taxi.

When they were safely in the taxi, James leaned forward and whispered the address to the driver.

"Are you sure mate?" asked the driver with a perplexed look "You are aware of what that place is?"

"Yes, I am well aware of the reputation of the establishment," snapped James

"What reputation? What establishment?" asked M

"I will tell you when we get there," replied James as the taxi pulled away

The driver shook his head and pulled away from the curb. M took out her phone and was about to dial Tanner when James reached over and snatched it from her hands.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked angrily

"No phones, as far as they are all concerned, we are still at your flat!"

"But who are the..."

"Shhh"

M glared at him as she lowered her voice "Who are THEY? Who is it that you believe is after you?"

"Not me" he replied quietly as the taxi came to a stop "YOU...the question is who is after YOU"

M, stunned by the comment, happened to look out the window while James was paying the driver, and noticed that they had come to a stop outside a well known, but slightly off the radar, Gentlemen's club.

"What are we doing here?" she asked suspiciously

"Believe it or not, I have a friend who works here who owes me a favor"

"Be that as it may, I am not going in ther," replied M defiantly

James stepped out of the taxi and gently, but firmly pulled M out of the back seat

"You can, and you will," he mumbled under his breath as he guided her to the door

"I CAN'T go in there! This is a Gentlemen's club in case it has escaped your notice!" stated M as she shot him an embarrassed and angry look

"Which is WHY this is the last place they will think to look for you!" he snapped as he escorted her thru the door and into the lobby.

M tried her best to keep her eyes lowered as James guided her toward the front desk. The lobby was quite impressive, very old looking with dark mahogany paneled walls and large leather chairs placed near the massive, marble fireplace. Just past the desk was a grand staircase with mahogany railings, polished to within an inch of their lives, leading to the second floor. James waited patiently, as the attendant behind the desk concluded her phone call.

"I would like to speak to Lady Velvet" he said quietly

"Whom should I say is calling?" she asked

"Just tell her it's Mr. Thursday at ten, she will know who I am"

"Why am I not surprised?" muttered M as she stood next to him

"It's not what you think...well not exactly"

"007, what you do on your own time is really none of my business" she snapped

After a few minutes, a tall willowy woman appeared at the top of the stairs. M was slightly surprised when she looked up. The woman was dressed in a well-tailored, dark blue business suit, with her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She had a folder in one hand and her glasses in the other.

"Well this is a surprise," she said with a warm smile "You do not usually come to me"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" replied James as he put his arm around M and guided her toward the stairs "Is there someplace where we can talk privately?"

"Of course, follow me"

They headed up the stairs, and down a long hallway, lined with massive oil paintings until they reached an office where the young woman motioned for them to enter.

Once inside, Lady Velvet moved behind her desk and motioned for James and M to take a seat.

"How may I be of assistance?" she asked with a warm smile

"I need a room for a few hours and a secure phone" he replied

M shifted uncomfortably in her seat while she avoided making eye contact with the beautiful younger woman.

"I see. While I am happy to accommodate your request, you do realize that this is NOT a motel. I am surprised that a man of your means could not find a more suitable location to entertain your friend" she replied with a wink

James began to blush slightly, while M was certain she was going to die of embarrassment. As far as James was concerned, the thought of spending a long, passionate night with his boss had crossed his mind on more than one occasion, but at the moment, that particular fantasy was the furthest thing from his mind. M on the other hand could not deny that she too had entertained the thought of being with James, but had quickly dismissed it as not only highly inappropriate behavior, but also foolish, as James couldn't possibly want someone like her when he could have any young beauty that batted her eyes at him.

"While I understand how this may look, it isn't what you think," he said as he cleared his throat "This is my boss, and her security and the ability of those around us to be discreet is of the utmost importance at the moment. I need someplace where she will be safe until other arrangements can be made"

"I understand," replied Lady Velvet in a serious tone as she reached into her desk drawer and produced a key "This is to my private suite behind the staircase on the first floor. It has its own entrance and exit, so you will not be seen. It is also soundproof and there are no security cameras in either the room or the private staircase leading to it" she said quietly as she rose and pushed a button under her desk, which opened a hidden panel behind her revealing a set of stairs "I will get you a phone that is untraceable and bring it to you"

"Thank you" replied James as he and M rose and started toward the stairs

"It's been a long time since I have heard from you. I almost thought you had forgotten me, but now I understand," she said softly as she looked at M with a curious expression

Once James and M had begun to descend the staircase and the panel had closed, M stopped and looked at James

"What was that supposed to mean?" she asked suspiciously

James shifted uncomfortably as he began to blush. Even though the lighting was low, M could tell he was blushing and continued to stare at him, waiting for a response.

"Nothing" he finally managed to say as he took her hand and led her down the stairs to the room.

Once inside, the room looked pretty much as M expected. There was a large, four-poster bed in the middle, a large sofa and an attached bathroom.

"Make yourself comfortable," he said as he said as he sat down and ran his fingers thru his hair before leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands

"James" she said softly as she sat beside him "What did she mean when she said she understood why she had not heard from you?" she asked again

For the first time in his life, James was at a loss for words. How could he tell his boss that SHE was the object of his affection, making in unnecessary for him to find other company without sounding like a complete idiot? James had known for months that he had fallen for her, but he was afraid that if he told her, she would reject him and dismiss his feelings as childish and ridiculous.

"M" he started to say "I...it's just that...well"

"Well what?"

James sat up, looked over at her, seeing the confusion on her face, leaned over, put his hand under her chin, and pulled her to him as he placed a gentle kiss to her lips. M was slightly surprised, but she allowed him to kiss her. The tenderness of the kiss confirmed what she had already suspected, which was that he had feelings for her, but she had no idea how deep those feeling were until he moved his hand from her chin to the back of her neck pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. Against her better judgment, M responded to the kiss, leaning into him, allowing him to wrap his other arm around her as she let out a small moan against his lips. James suddenly pulled back and looked at her as he ran his finger down the side of her face, lightly tracing her jaw before coming to rest on the chin.

"We can't" he said quietly "Not here"

"James, I don't know what is going thru your mind right now, but this is absurd" she said as she pulled away and sat up, staring at her hands "I am old enough to be your Mother, not to mention that I am your boss, and this is highly inappropriate behavior regardless of the circumstances and..."

"If it is so inappropriate then why did you kiss me back?" he asked, "You cannot deny that you have feelings for me" he said more as a statement than a question

"I don't know what I feel right now" she replied as her eyes began to fill with tears

James was about to respond when he heard a knock at the door. He motioned for M to step into the bathroom and remain quiet as he hesitantly opened the door to find Lady Velvet, holding a small phone.

"Good luck to you and your friend Mr. Thursday, and should circumstances change, you know where to reach me," she whispered

James nodded and took the phone.

"Thank you," he replied as he leaned over and kissed her cheek" We will be gone within the hour,"

James closed the door and turned to see M watching him from the doorway. He crossed the room and handed her the phone.

"Call Tanner, have him clear the back entrance to MI6 and meet us at the loading dock" he said in a serious tone

M stared at him with a confused look.

"Why couldn't I just call him from my phone?"

"I need to get you into the building without there being a record of your arrival. A phone call from your phone could be traced. I also need his security card as yours will be traceable"

"So am I to understand that we are going to hide in my office?"

"That is the plan. They would never look for you in plain sight" he replied with a wink

"And how long do you plan to keep me hidden in my office?"

"You have a sofa that pulls out into a bed, a fully equipped bathroom and between Tanner and Eve, they can supply meals, so I guess as long as it takes!"

"Well, I guess it is less embarrassing that staying here" she replied with a smile as she dialed the number

"Mr. Tanner, 007 and I will be requiring your assistance with a rather delicate situation" she said as she relayed James' instructions while James sat and pondered their next move and his hidden feelings for M, that were not so hidden anymore.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Chapter 6 chapater 6

Tanner was waiting on the loading dock when James and M arrived. Every corridor, office and loo had been vacated under the guise of a security drill giving them a clear path to M's office without the possibility of being seen by anyone. Once they had arrived, James immediately closed and locked the door before turning to find three rather bewildered faces staring back at him.

"Right" he said as he guided M to her desk "I suppose you are all wondering what the hell is going on?"

"The thought has scampered thru my mind," replied Tanner nervously

"I guess I should start at the beginning..."

"Please do" interrupted M anxiously

"Tanner, what can you tell me about the night I was brought in?"

"According to the security logs, you arrived at around six o'clock..."

"And yet, M was not notified until nearly ten" interrupted James

"Well yes, but I am sure there is a logical reason for the delay," replied Tanner in a rather unconvincing tone

"Oh trust me, there is. James moved to stand behind M, placing his hands protectively on her shoulders "I was not beaten and brought to medical, I was called to medical and then beaten"

M slowly turned in her seat and looked up at James with a look of disbelief. He knelt beside her and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

"They called and said you had been injured and could I come as soon as possible, which I did, but I was ambushed as soon as I entered what I thought was your room," said James slowly

"But why?" gasped M as both her anger and her fear became obvious "Why would they attack you?"

"For information"

"What sort of information?"

"About you" he said as he gazed at the completely confused M

"You mean about her job and what she knows?" asked Eve

"No about her personal life" replied James quietly

"What could they possibly want to know about M?" asked Tanner

"James, who would want to harm M, aside from the obvious suspects?" said Eve curiously

"I don't know that part is still a bit fuzzy. What I do remember is that I was strapped to a cot and they were asking about M..."

"What about me?" she snapped as she arched her eyebrow "What sort of questions?"

"They wanted to know about your relationship with your agents, your assistant, even your secretary. They wanted to know how many times you had bent the rules to protect your people..."

"What did you tell them" interrupted M

"The truth...I had no choice...I couldn't stop myself...You understand..." replied James as he rose, turning his back as he walked toward the window, angry at himself because he knew that, through no fault of his own, he had betrayed the confidence of the one person who meant everything to him.

"So this isn't any terrorist organization at all," replied Tanner

"No, I believe that this is something closer to home"

"But if it's M they really want, why didn't they just take her? If they are really our own people, they have a million different ways of getting to her "said Tanner as he looked over at the clearly unamused M "Sorry M, just pointing out that if they are our people, they would have the security clearance to go unnoticed"

"Thank you Tanner I feel so much better now that you have cleared that up," snapped M

"They do not want to harm her physically. If they did, they would have done so by now. I believe that what they want is to destroy her professionally, discredit her and force her into retirement"

"What makes you say that?" asked Eve

"Just the nature of their questions, all revolving around her ability to perform her job, her relationship with those who work for her, not to mention the fact that she is past retirement age," replied James, keeping his back to them

"Let me see if I understand this. The entire medical department is working for some unknown force in an attempt to have me removed?"

"Not the entire department. I do not believe that the doctor is involved," said James

"How could he NOT be involved?" asked M

"I do not remember seeing him until he was treating my injuries. You said it yourself when you brought me back the next day. He was with you the entire time; there was no way for him to have administered any drug..."

"But he is the one who gave M the pain medication, which by the way, Q has analyzed, and it was laced with a toxin strong enough to cloud and sometimes erase memories..."

"But he didn't fill the prescription that would have been the pharmacy..."

"Maybe not, but he ordered the drug..."

"Yes, but..."

"Enough!" snapped M "We are going around in circles here. Tanner, I want you to contact Q, discreetly due to the nature of this issue. Have him trace ANY and ALL communications professional and personal for every member of the medical department; Eve I would like you to look into all complaints that have been filed against this department, myself in particular for the last eighteen months...

"Do you really think this has been going on that long?" asked Eve as she started toward the door

"I'm not sure, what I do know is that this plan did not come together overnight. It took a lot of careful planning to neutralize 007 as quickly and effectively as they did"

James cast a confused and apologetic look at M as he stood and looked out the window

"I'm sorry James, but they knew exactly what buttons to push to get you here," she said as she moved to stand beside him

"Right then, Eve and I will get started. Is there anything you two will be needing?" asked Tanner as he and Eve were about to leave

"Dinner would be nice and perhaps a few low light lanterns. We cannot afford to switch on the lights once you and Eve have gone for the evening," replied James

"We will be back soon," said Tanner as he closed the door

M stood beside James, staring out the window at the river below.

"You didn't tell us everything did you?" she said quietly

"How do you mean?"

"The questions, you didn't tell them about all of the questions did you?"

"No" he said softly

"What did they really want to know?" she asked as she turned to face him

"They...They wanted to know the true nature of OUR relationship" he said as he turned to look at her "They are aware that I have been to your flat several times at rather unusual hours."

"And what did you tell them?"

James' eyes began to fill with tears and he reached over and pulled her to him, holding her tightly as the tears began to spill down his cheeks

"That I love you," he whispered, "I am so sorry M. That is something I would have taken to my grave ...," he said quietly

M pulled back and looked up at him with an almost hurt expression as she quietly turned and walked toward the sofa.

"What is it M? What have I done? You have to know that I would never ever betray you, it's just that I had no choice...I"

"Would you have?" she asked as she turned to look at him

"Would I what?"

"Would you have taken that to the grave...without ever telling me how you really felt?"

"If necessary!" he said angrily as he closed the distance between them, "You mean more to me than life itself...you have to know that, and I would never jeopardize our friendship by telling you something that you have made perfectly clear is unreciprocated and inappropriate, but I cannot...I cannot help how I feel" he replied in a low, frustrated tone

"James" she started to say

"No, you have to understand, I didn't know what I was saying...they gave me that damn drug..."

"James!" she said again as she took a step toward him

"M, I..."

M stood in front of him and reached up, grabbing the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to her level before she took his face in her small hands and kissed him gently but firmly. James was nearly in a state of shock before he realized that he had subconsciously wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. M snaked her arms up around James' neck as she pulled him closer while he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Shhhh...It's alright James," she said softly as she caressed the back of his head "They used you to get to me, and I suppose I should really thank them," she said as she pulled back to look at him "I never would have known how you felt otherwise"

"But you have made it perfectly clear that..."

"Yes well, I was wrong" she said with a weak smile as she allowed him to cradle her in his arms "I suppose I have always loved you, but it wasn't until I saw you in that drug induced haze, the fear and confusion in your eyes and yet you never forgot me. You forgot details of recent events, other people you have known for years, but you never forgot ME"

"Is that why you never lost faith in me? Why you took me home against medical advice? And stayed with me even though I could have hurt you?"

"I knew you would never hurt me. That protectiveness, love whatever you want to call it is something that embedded itself in your brain long before you became a double O" she said with a laugh "And to tell you the truth, I didn't want to believe it, that you could have feelings for...Me of all people, but apparently you do...We do and well...here we are"

"Yes...here we are," he said as he lightly kissed her forehead

James led her to the sofa and sat with his arm protectively around her shoulders while she rested her head against his shoulder.

"There is one thing I have been wondering about"

"Mmmm just one?" he said with a laugh as he kissed the crown of her head

"What was it that woke you in such a state of panic that you found it necessary to get me out of my flat?"

James shifted uncomfortably for a minute before he worked up enough courage to face her.

"It was only flashes...snippets of the last round of questioning...they asked me how to bypass the security system at your flat. Apparently I had told them I had done it on numerous occasions..."

"And you were afraid they would come to get me?"

"Not exactly, I overheard part of the plan, which was to stage a break in where you would be injured at the hands of your lover who happens to be one of your agents, proving once again, that your judgment has been compromised as far as your ability to separate your professional and personal life"

"I see" replied M as she sat up "You do realize that by bringing me here, we have played right into their hands"

"How do you mean?"

"If what you say is true, and I have no reason to think it is not, then the alarm will go off at my flat as planned, only when security arrives, not only will my flat be a complete shambles, but I will be declared missing or at the very least, taken against my will by a trained killer"

"But you are here and you are safe"

"Yes, but explaining how I came to be here may be a bit tricky as we still do not have a clue who all of the players in this little game are at the moment" she said in a serious tone

"Do you think Mallory could be behind this?"

"Mallory? He may be a first class twerp at times, but I do not believe he is this stupid. He already knows he will be my replacement if and when I retire, so I find it highly unlikely that he would go to all of this trouble just to speed up the process. He was also my strongest ally during the whole Silva mess so No, I do not believe that he is involved"

"So what do you want to do? Storm the medical department, shoot them all full of Sodium Pentothal and make them talk?"

"As entertaining as that sounds, No." replied M with a laugh "But I do think we need to find a better hiding place"

"What is wrong with where we are? It's the safest building in town aside from the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace?"

"Yes, but this is the first place they will come when they discover I am missing. It is imperative that they believe that their plan is working, even if it has gone a bit pear shaped at the moment" she said as she rose and crossed the room "We need them to believe that I am in fact missing in order to see who begins to panic"

"Why would they panic? Wasn't the idea to have you meet with some sort of disaster at the hands of one of your agents?"

"Yes, but one of their own "controlled disasters" for lack of a better phrase. It will be interesting to see how they react when they are no longer controlling the game," she said with a sly smile.

"I take it you have a plan?" he replied with a grin

"Do you still have the phone that Lady Velvet gave you?" she asked curiously

"Yes, why?"

"I think we may be in need of her assistance again" replied M with a wink

TO BE CONTINUED...


	7. Chapter 7chapter 7

"I don't like it!" snapped James as he paced around the office

"You don't have to like it!" replied M as she tidied up her desk "You just have to do it, and for the record, it is not a suggestion, it is an order!"

"You cannot seriously think for one second that THIS is a good plan!"

"Well unless you have an epic epiphany in the next ten minutes, this is what we are doing, so I suggest you work on the next part of the plan while I finish here"

"I don't like the idea of us being separated, what if something happens? What if I am wrong and they do want to physically harm you?"

"I will have Eve, and in case you have forgotten, SHE is a trained agent, more than capable of protecting me..."

"Unless she shoots you by mistake!" he snapped

"James, do stop worrying. It will be fine and in a few hours we will be together again"

"I think I like you better when you stay behind the safety of your desk...," he said as he stood behind her and encircled her in a protective embrace

"I beg your pardon! I was an agent myself you know. It is not as if this is my first time at the circus..."

"It's rodeo, the phrase is first time at the rodeo, and Yes, I know that you were an agent, WERE being the operative word, but things have changed since you were out in the field..."

"If you are referring to my age then may I remind you that YOU are no spring chicken either?"

"Look all I am saying is that..."

"I know what you are getting at, but we stand a better chance of getting out of the building unnoticed if we are not together," she said in a much calmer tone as she turned to face him "I trust Eve. She is a good agent; I have faith that she will be able to protect me for a few hours..."

"Yeah, well you trusted Mitchell and look where that got you. He nearly shot you at point blank range" he replied as he pulled her closer to him

"It will be different this time. I will also have a gun"

"No you won't! A sling shot maybe but not a gun!"

"And why not?"

"Because it is the worst kept secret in Britain that you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if it were right in front of you," he said with a wink

"Would you just go and make the call to Lady Velvet and tell her to be expecting us," she said as she swatted his arm

"Fine!" he grumbled "But, for the record, I still don't like it!"

M smiled as she watched James dial the phone, but her smile was only half-hearted because she knew that James was right. They were taking an enormous risk by separating, but at the moment, they really did not have any other viable options.

Tanner and Eve returned a short time later with food and a few supplies. As soon as they entered the room, M pulled Tanner aside and whispered something in his ear. Tanner nodded and disappeared, returning a few moments later, nodding to M as he went to join James.

"Ma'am, are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Eve

"Not entirely, but we really do not have any other options at the moment" said M as she took a bite of her sandwich while Tanner and James meticulously went over the two routes to the final destination.

"Tanner, you are absolutely sure we will not be seen on any of the cameras?" asked James with a worried tone

"007, I am surprised at you" he said, "You aren't usually this cautious when you are on a mission"

"Yes well, I am not usually protecting the boss on a mission now am I?" he snapped

"Point taken. Everything has been arranged. A water taxi will take Eve and M further down the river where they will be met by a car that will take them to...that place, while you and I will go out thru the loading dock and take my car..."

"Good" interrupted James as he glanced over at M "Who will be driving the car?"

"Ross"

"ROSS? Can we trust him?"

"He has been her driver for years. He would give his life to protect her so, yes he can be trusted," replied Tanner, slightly irritated that James would even entertain the idea that he would assign someone he did not trust to protect M.

After they had finished eating and going over the plan for the last time, the four of them prepared to leave.

"M, may I have a word?" asked Tanner quietly

"Mr. Tanner, whatever you have to say, you may say in front of James" she replied as she picked up her jacket

"Please?" he replied as he motioned toward the window

"Fine. Would you two give us a moment?" she said as she moved to join Tanner by the window "What is it Tanner?"

"Ma'am" he said hesitantly

"Well what is it?"

"Has it entered your mind that 007 may be...could be... might possibly be the one behind this in an attempt to get you to retire?" he asked sheepishly

M was at a loss for words. The very idea that James could be behind this had crossed her mind, but her instincts told her that it simply was not true. If he had been behind this, he certainly would not have allowed himself to be drugged and beaten, that was not his style. If James really wanted her to retire, he would tell her and argue the point endlessly, he would not go to such bizarre lengths to drive his point home.

"Thank you for your concern Bill, but you and I both know that he is not behind this," she said quietly as she squeezed his hand

"I just thought it was worth mentioning"

"Duly noted, and dismissed on the grounds that it is an absurd idea"

Tanner smiled weakly as he escorted her back to the door

"Everything alright?" asked James curiously

"Fine. Shall we go?" replied M as she stood in front of the door apprehensively

"We still have time to change our minds," said James in an almost hopeful tone

"Nice try" she said patting his cheek "See you in a few hours"

Eve and M headed down the emergency stairs, that led to the river while James and Tanner took the service elevator to the loading dock.

As M stepped into the water taxi, she leaned over and whispered something to the driver before taking her seat.

"What was that all about?" asked Eve as she joined her

"We will be taking a little detour" replied M as she looked over at the younger woman

"But that was not part of the plan"

"Maybe not, but I would be remiss if I did not inform my superior of the most recent attempts on my life."

"I thought James said they weren't trying to physically harm you?"

"Maybe not, but I consider an attempt on one of my people as an attempt on me personally, therefore we ARE taking a slight detour" snapped M

"Yes Ma'am"

James and Tanner made it to the loading dock with little trouble. Once they had reached his car, James let out a long and frustrated sigh.

"Something wrong?" asked Tanner

"I still do not like this"

"You know that once she gets an idea in her head, there is not persuading her to..."

"I know. What did she whisper to you when you and Eve returned?"

"She just wanted me to check on something for her?"

"And that would be?"

"You and I both know that I am not at liberty to discuss what she said," replied Tanner

"Tanner, I am going to give you five seconds to tell me what she said before I fold you up like a piece of paper, shove you in the boot and go after her!" snapped James

"Alright, calm down. She just wanted to know if Mr. Mallory was in his office"

"And why would she want to know that?"

"Because she felt it was time to add a new "Player" to this little game." snapped Tanner "Unless you have a reason to believe that it is not necessary"

James sat in his seat and pondered the question.

"You think I have something to do with all of this don't you?"

"I have to admit, the thought did cross my mind"

"Well, I don't. I am the last person who would want M to retire. I do not like change. I like having her on the other end of the oh so irritating earpiece when I am on a mission, and I am NOT looking forward to the day when she is no longer there" he said quietly "I love her and I would never put her through this"

Tanner sat and stared at James with a crooked grin.

"What is so funny?" asked James

"That it took you this long to figure out that you love her?" he said as he started the car "Looks as if I won the bet"

"What bet?"

"Oh Please, there isn't a person in that entire building that isn't aware that you are in love with M. We've all been placing bets as to how long it would take the two of you to finally admit it to each other...You have admitted it haven't you?"

"Yes...well, that is beside the point. Love has nothing to do with my concern for her safety at the moment!"

"On the contrary, it has everything to do with her safety," quipped Tanner "You want to know how I can tell?"

"Oh yes, please enlighten me"

"You are not usually this cautious. You believe in the no-plan plan, but today it's all about the details..."

"Tanner, has anyone ever told you how incredibly annoying you are?" replied James

"It's my job to be annoying"

Meanwhile, as Eve and M's water taxi approached the boat launch near Whitehall, the figure of a tall man dressed in a dark trench coat appeared. The taxi stopped long enough for the man to board before continuing down the river.

"M"

"Mr. Mallory, thank you for agreeing to meet with me under such unusual circumstances" replied M as she moved over to make room for him to sit

"So what seems to be the problem?"

"There has been an attempt made against me, though indirectly, it is definitely aimed at me and I thought you should be made aware should certain alarms start sounding" she replied flatly

"What sort of attempt? What sort of alarms? And shouldn't you have more guards if that is the case?"

"007 was attacked and drugged in an attempt to gain information, personal information about me"

"For what purpose?"

"I assume it is in an attempt to discredit me and persuade me to step down as head of MI6"

"Where is 007 now? And how seriously was he injured?"

"He escaped relatively unscathed and is with my assistant Mr. Tanner heading to an undisclosed location to await my arrival"

"I see" he replied

"You will also be informed that my flat has been broken into and that I am apparently missing"

"I see" he replied with a slightly puzzled look

"I thought it best to inform you so that you are aware that when accusations are made that I am missing, you will know the truth, and possibly be able to help determine who is behind all of this nonsense"

"How may I be of assistance?"

"Mr. Tanner will fill you in on the details once I have reached my destination and will keep you informed of any new developments"

"If it is protection you need, I am sure we can find a suitable place for you to..."

"Garreth, I do not think you fully understand. We believe that someone within our own community made this attempt. Someone with an intimate knowledge of the workings of MI6 and its operatives..."

"You mean one of us?"

"Not an agent, but someone close enough to know who I am and where I live. Someone who has the connections to have successfully infiltrated our own medical department..."

"Are you sure Bond is not involved? He is, as you say, your best agent and it would seem unlikely that he would be taken in by such a simple plan?"

"Yes, well, the ruse that was used to get him to the medical department was quite convincing" replied M quietly

"I can only assume that it had something to do with you" he replied with a smirk

"Why would you think that?"

"Because there is only one thing that could knock Bond off his game, and that would be you"

"Are you implying that Bond and I..."

"Just making an observation."

M shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the boat approached the landing area.

"Is anyone else aware of what has happened?

"Just Tanner, Eve, 007, Me and Q. He has been skulking about in the bowels of the computer searching for anything that could help "connect the dots" so to speak"

"If I come up with anything that I believe could help, I will let Q know immediately. Good luck M and do be careful. I will be waiting for an update from your man Tanner and I will be as surprised as everyone else when it is announced that you are missing," he said as he stepped off the boat

"Thank you Garreth" replied M

"And you young lady, keep her safe. The last thing we need is for her to actually go missing!"

"Yes sir," replied Eve as she nervously glanced at M

"Something wrong?" M asked as the taxi pulled away

"No Ma'am" replied Eve nervously "I will just feel better once you are not out in the open"

"Ms. Moneypenny, I am on a water taxi, in the middle of the Themes at midnight, I would hardly call that out in the open" said M as she reached over and patted the younger women's hand

Eve smiled as she glanced at her watch

"We're late" she said anxiously

"Only a few minutes"

"James is not going to like this"

"I will deal with James. Why don't you phone him and tell him when they can expect us"

Eve took out her phone and dialed Tanner, hoping and praying that it would be Tanner answering the phone rather than the sure to be irate 007.

"Eve?" replied Tanner "Where..." was all he managed to say before James snatched the phone

"Moneypenny! Where the hell are you?" snapped James

The expression on Eve's face was all M needed to know that James was on the phone so she reached over and took the phone from the her bewildered secretary

"James! Calm down, we are on our way" snapped M

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago!"

"Slight change in plans. We will be there in ten minutes so stop moaning!"

"That was NOT the plan!"

"Who is in charge of this mission?" she asked sharply "We will discuss what is and what is not part of the plan when I arrive!" she said as she disconnected the phone

"He isn't very happy is he?" asked M as more of a statement than a question

"Sometimes, on rare occasions, he is too cautious for his own good"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	8. Chapter 8 Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay, hope it was worth it :)**

M had not even made it completely thru the door before James started in on what would prove to be a rant of epic proportions.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" he shouted "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE AN HOUR AGO!"

"That will be enough James!" she snapped as she closed the door

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded as he stood towering over her

"Nothing" she said defiantly as she moved around him and took off her jacket

"They could have hurt you," he said in a slightly calmer tone

"You said it yourself. They, whoever they are, want to destroy me professionally not personally..."

"We don't know that for sure yet" he interrupted

"They want to catch me in a compromising position with you and being that we were not together, I fail to see why this was such a problem" she replied angrily

"Oh I see, so you thought being seen with Mallory, on a boat, in the middle of the Themes at midnight was an acceptable risk, because who would ever think that the head of MI6 would be fooling around with her boss!" he snapped sarcastically "It all makes perfect sense now"

M shot an icy glare at James as she turned around to stare at him.

"I will ignore that last comment due to the fact that it has been an incredibly long forty eight hours and you are exhausted, however, let me remind you that I am STILL your boss and you will respect my decisions! You do not have to like them, but by God you will respect them is that clear!"

"Yes Ma'am" he snapped as he turned suddenly and winced

"James, what is it?" she asked, her tone suddenly softening to one of concern

"It's nothing" he replied holding his side

"If you say it's nothing, than it's more than likely something to worry about. Come and lay down" she said motioning to the bed

"I'm fine," he grumbled

"Would you for once just do as you are told," she replied as she guided him to the bed "Now get in" she insisted

James caught her hand as she pulled the blankets up around him and held it to his cheek, placing a soft kiss in her palm

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, before he noticed the bruises on her wrist and his eyes widened "What happened? Who did this to you?" he asked in a panic as he tried to get out of bed.

M managed to push him back and gently grasped his hands.

"You don't remember?" she asked somewhat alarmed

James thought hard for a moment before the memory of what happened came flooding back and a look of shame and anguish quickly spread across his face.

"It's alright James, it was not your fault," she said slowly while she studied his face for some sort of comprehension

"I should not be here!" He said as he attempted to sit up "It is not safe, I could hurt you...seriously hurt you"

"No you won't," she said tenderly

"You can't be sure! What if I do something profoundly stupid like forget you are you in the middle of the night? How do you plan to explain that?"

"Oh don't be ridiculous," she snapped

"You can't possibly deny that the thought has not crossed you mind?"

"Just settle down, you are beginning to ramble," she said as she rose and grabbed her bag

"What are you doing?" he asked in a panic

"Calm down 007, I am just getting you a pain pill and a sleeping pill. You will feel much better after you have had some rest," she said handing him the pills

"Great more pills so I can forget again...Maybe it's you that is behind this," he said as he angrily took the pills

"Well now you are just arguing for the sake of arguing," she snapped as she sat on the end of the bed

"I don't really believe that it's you," he said thru a yawn

"Just close your eyes and go to sleep James" she replied quietly "I promise I will be here when you wake up"

"You swear?" he said as he began to drift off to sleep

"Yes" she said as she rose, pulled the blankets up around him and gently kissed his forehead "I swear"

M sat quietly on the end of the bed watching James sleep when she was startled by a noise from the hidden panel that led to the stairwell to Lady Velvet's office. She rose and crept toward the wall, listening intently while she fumbled for the gun in her bag. She was about to pull the weapon out when she heard a soft knock on the wall.

"Yes" she said quietly

"It's just me," said Lady Velvet as she poked her head into the room

M let out a sigh of relief as she removed her hand from her bag

"How may I help you?" whispered M

"I just came to see if I could get you anything?" Said Lady Velvet as she let herself into the room.

James tossed and turned a bit before settling back down into as restful sleep as he could manage.

"I see he hasn't changed," she said with a laugh "He never has been one to sleep peacefully"

M did her best to hide her surprise at the comment as she motioned for them to sit on the sofa.

"I'm not sure why I am surprised to hear you say that" replied M with a laugh

"Oh I think there is a lot you would be surprised to know about him"

"Really? For instance...on second thought, never mind. What he gets up to on his time off is really none of my business" said M quickly

"There is definitely more to him than meets the eye," she said mysteriously

"Lady Velvet, honestly your relationship, for lack of a better word is really none of my business"

"Velvet, please just call me Velvet, the Lady bit is just for show"

"Alright Velvet, and you can call me M"

"Short for Emma?"

"Err...yes"

"Well Emma, there is something you should know about Mr. Thursday at ten" she said nodding to James "I've been seeing him for about three years, and in the beginning, well it was what you would expect, given my business, but it all changed about a year and a half ago"

"Really? How so" asked M, trying to conceal her intrigue at the statement

"He had often spoken about someone, a woman that he cared deeply for but, she was unattainable at the time."

"I see"

"But her husband died unexpectedly and then everything changed. Suddenly, when he called, all he was interested in was talking. He said he needed to be there in case she needed him, to take care of her, protect her...he spent endless hours moaning about how stubborn she was and how he was worried about her. He even cancelled our usual meetings so he could be with her."

"Really?"

"Then, about a year ago he called late one night. He was distraught, something had happened and she had been seriously injured and he felt he was to blame. He had not been able to protect her and as a result, she nearly died in his arms. The guilt was almost more than he could bear. That is when he told me that he had fallen in love with her, but unfortunately he did not think she felt the same way about him, but never the less and he said he wouldn't be seeing me anymore because he could not, in good conscience, betray her by being with another woman,"

M was both amazed and confused as she listened to Velvet.

"I am sure that whatever happened was not entirely his fault" replied M quietly

"I always wondered who it was that had so completely captured his heart, and then I met you"

"Me?"

"When I saw the way he looks at you, there was no doubt in my mind that you are the object of his affection"

M scoffed at the idea as she rose and went to adjust the blankets James had tossed aside.

"Don't be absurd. I am old enough to be his Mother, and I happen to be his boss'" she whispered "He can have any woman he wants. What on earth would he possibly want with someone like me?"

"May I be frank? Love knows no age Emma; the heart wants what the heart wants. Sometimes there is no logical explanation. Truthfully, I think he fell in love with you because of your age. He described you as intelligent and naturally gorgeous with a brilliant sense of humor that occasionally makes an appearance, tough as nails, no-nonsense and although it is the best-kept secret in London, you are quite possibly the kindest person on the planet. You don't play games and there isn't one superficial thing about you...need I continue?"

"That is all very flattering, but there is still the issue of my being his boss"

"And if you were not? What then?"

M pondered the question. She had never given it much serious thought since the whole idea seemed rather ridiculous. She and James, together, as a couple, what would people think? She had to admit, there were times when the idea had crept into her mind, but she had always dismissed it as the foolish musings of an older woman, attempting to recapture her youth, but now...

"I should go and let you get some rest," said Velvet as she rose to leave "But think about what I said, I mean really think about it. He obviously has very deep feelings for you. Wouldn't it be a shame to never know just how deep those feelings are? Or if they are mutual?

M sat on the sofa staring at the door, deep in thought, thinking about what Velvet had told her when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"You really should get some rest," said James quietly

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as she glared at him

"Long enough," he grumbled as he took her hand and pulled her up from the sofa "look, about what I said earlier..."

"It's alright James," she said as she allowed him lead her to the bed.

"No it isn't. I apologize for being so ratty; it's just that anything could have happened to you"

"Perhaps I overreacted a bit," she said as she crawled into bed while James crawled in beside her and put his arm around her, pulling her close

"What? Do my ears deceive me? Is the great and powerful M admitting that she was wrong?" he asked with a grin

"I am not saying that I was wrong, what I am saying is that you had a fair point and I should have considered the ramifications of what I had done more carefully" she said as she snuggled closer to him

"So I was right!" he replied smugly

"No, you just happened to have a valid point! Now close your eyes and go to sleep...That is an order!"

"Yes Ma'am" he said as he placed a kiss to the top of her head.

The two of them had not been in bed more than ten minutes when James' phone began to vibrate.

"Now who the hell could that be at this hour?" snapped M in an annoyed tone

"I'll get it" said James rolled over and retrieved the phone "Bond!" he said angrily "Yes...I see...And did he explain the situation?...Of course he did!..And what was the reaction?..Any brilliant ideas?...Well, yes that would be one way around it if she agrees to it...Yes we will as soon as possible...Thank you"

"What was that all about?"

"That was Tanner. Apparently news of your disappearance has reached the PM's office along with several photos of you in shall we say compromising positions and an entire ream of paper containing documentation supposedly outlining your dereliction of duty in great detail" snapped James

"Dereliction of Duty?"

"The PM found it necessary to rouse Mallory from his beauty sleep for an explanation of the charges that have been leveled against you"

"And...What did he say?"

"He said he would rather let you explain yourself in person"

"Of course he did!"

"But Mallory has a plan...If you are up for it"

"I can't wait to hear this...Let me guess, he wants me to retire quietly and disappear?"

"Not exactly. He wants you to get married," replied James with a grin

TO BE CONTINUED...


	9. Chapter 9 Chapter 9

**It is amazing what happens when you are not exhausted :)**

"He wants me to do WHAT?" shouted M

"Come on, get dressed" said James as he tumbled out of bed "We have to meet Tanner and Mallory down by the river, we can discuss it there"

"As far as I am concerned, there is no need for ANY sort of discussion. I did not get to where I am today by hiding behind a wedding ring and I sure as hell am not going to start hiding behind one NOW!" she snapped as she rose and headed toward the bathroom

"M, would you at least listen to his plan, it may not be as bad as you think," replied James as he began to tidy up the room

M stopped at the door and shot him a look of disbelief.

"That is exactly the sort of comment I would expect from a man," she said as tears of anger filled her eyes "You have no idea how hard I have worked to get where I am and gain the respect of "The Establishment". As a woman it is difficult to advance in this business unless you are willing to "play" their games, and I for one got this job on my abilities, not because I slept my way to the top!"

James crossed the room and pulled her to him, holding her firmly in place as he reached down and tilted her face up toward him.

"No one is saying that you slept your way to the top, and no one is suggesting that you hide behind a wedding ring, all he is saying is that if you were married, at least on paper, it would help to explain some of the odd occurrences outlined in the documents that were given to the PM"

M shook her head as she untangled herself from James' grip and disappeared into the bathroom to get ready.

"Won't you at least listen to what he has to say? You do not have to agree to it, but at least hear him out"

M reappeared a few moments later, picked up her jacket and her bag, and stood by the door.

"Fine! I will hear him out!" she hissed

"That's my girl," he said with a wink as he came to stand beside her

"YOUR GIRL?" she snapped, "That is just the kind of comment I was..." she started to say when James leaned down and captured her lips, effectively silencing her.

At first, she was angry and attempted to pull away, but his grip on her was too strong and she found herself relaxing in his embrace and responding to the kiss. James had managed to snake his arms around her with one hand holding tight to her waist while the other hand held her head in place as he deepened the kiss. M wrapped her arms around him and involuntarily intensified the kiss, moaning softly against his lips before he slowly pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"Better?" he whispered

"Mmmm" she nodded as she leaned against him with her head on his chest

"Don't worry M, I won't let him suggest or do anything that would potentially tarnish your pristine reputation as the Evil Queen of Numbers," he said with a laugh as he guided her out the door into the darkness.

In a matter of minutes, they had made their way to the boat launch and had boarded a water taxi where a rather sleepy Tanner and Mallory met them.

"Another fine mess wouldn't you say" quipped Mallory as the boat made its way up the river to a secluded dock to park.

"Now then, we need to discuss what we do now," said Mallory who was well aware that M was not completely happy with his initial suggestion. "The way I see it we have two options, neither of which are perfect, but it will draw the attention away from you and any allegations of improprieties that have been leveled against you" he said looking at M

"Go ahead, I'm listening," she said thru clenched teeth as she sat next to James

"First and foremost, the PM is not concerned with the allegations that you have misused your power for the benefit of your team. He is well aware that, given what you and your people do, some allowances must be made, and he is willing to overlook those few instances where you have turned a blind eye to certain things, however, the photographs of 007 coming and going from your flat need to be addressed" he said flatly

"There is a perfectly good explanation for his presence at my fla..."

"I am sure there is, but the fact remains that there is physical evidence that could lead one to believe that there is an element of inappropriate behavior here and..."

"And you think that I am sleeping with him?" she said bluntly

"It doesn't really matter what I think, what matters is that we have a good, solid explanation that is bulletproof to remove any suspicion, now and in the future"

"So what exactly did you have in mind?" she asked coolly "I believe you said something about my being married?"

"That would be one option, the other would be if it could be proven that 007 is actually your son"

"Well that option is even more ludicrous than the first" snapped M

"Maybe, but it would explain why you were so insistent on removing him from medical, against medical advice" replied Mallory

"This "marriage", it would only be on paper?" asked Tanner "I mean she wouldn't really have to marry someone?"

"We can bury it in her personal file and change the date to coincide with the date stamps on the photos"

"Who exactly did you have in mind?" asked M who was growing tired of having her personal life discussed as if it were the plot for a bad movie

"Well, for obvious reasons, I would be out of the question" he replied

"Oh, why is that?" asked Tanner who was still half-asleep

"I believe that my current wife just might object," snapped Mallory "I was actually thinking that 007 would be the logical choice, that would also help explain his presence at your flat at rather unusual hours."

"Now hold on" interrupted James "Those can't possibly be the only two logical options"

"007, do you find the notion of being married to me that distasteful?" she asked with almost a hurt tone

"Of course not! I just always envisioned it as being a decision we made together out of love, not convenience," he whispered

"Not to change the subject, but are we any closer to determining who is behind this?' asked M

"As a matter of fact, Q has found a connection between a member of the medical staff and Clare Dower" replied Tanner "Apparently the woman is her niece"

"Well then this all makes perfect sense, Clare Dower has been a thorn in my side ever since the whole Silva mess where she nearly got her head blown off."

"It's a shame Silva and his men weren't better shots, then we wouldn't be here having this particular discussion" muttered James under his breath

"Now if we are all in agreement, I believe that we should get our affairs in order and plan the best way to spring a trap to capture and prosecute those responsible for the attack on 007 and the attempt to discredit M as well as the breaking and entering at her flat"

"Hold on for a moment" said James as he rose and moved to the front of the boat to speak to the driver. After a few minutes, he returned and took a seat next to M with a rather smug expression on his face.

"What was that all about?" asked M curiously

"Just asking a question," he said mysteriously

As the boat made its way back down the river, it slowed near the base of the Tower Bridge and the driver took out a rope and attached it to one of the bridge supports before he turned to face his passengers.

"Gentlemen and Lady, I have been informed that there is to be a wedding" he said quietly "Would the Bride and Groom please stand"

M glanced at James with a look of total shock as he gently took her arm and pulled her up with him.

"If we are going to do this, then we are going to do it properly," said James as he put his arms around her "Carry on Captain" he said with a grin

"James, this... this is just so...he can't marry us. He is a water taxi driver for Christ sake," said M disapprovingly

"Actually he can" quipped James "Under maritime law, any Captain of any vessel has the authority to marry it's passengers as long as they are also have the authority to do so on land as well and we just so happen to have both a Captain and a retired Navel Chaplin on board. There is also a clause about having an official diplomat present, so I believe that we have ticked all of the appropriate boxes wouldn't you say" he replied with a wide grin

"Well you are full of surprises aren't you," she said in amazement

"I just figured if we are going to do this, we may as well make it count. We can do it again legally later," he said as he leaned down and gently kissed her

"Are you really sure you want to be married to me?" she asked hesitantly "You know it will not change a thing as far as our jobs are concerned"

"I don't care. If it means that I get to come home to you every night without the fear of being caught or breaking any rules then I would marry you on top of Buckingham Palace in my birthday suit"

"I do not believe that will be necessary" quipped Mallory as he stood beside them "And how did you know he is a retired Chaplin?"

"The insignia on the collar of his shirt. Once you have seen one, you never forget what they look like," replied James quietly

"Now then in the interest of time, do you...Madam love this man enough to marry him in the middle of the Themes at three o'clock in the morning?" asked the Captain bluntly

"Well...err...Yes," she replied

"And you sir, do you love this woman enough to throw caution to the wind and take a giant leap of faith that she won't toss you out of the boat the next time you do something as foolish as springing a wedding on her in the wee small hours of the morning?"

"Yes" said James as he tenderly looked down at M

"Good, because after sitting here, listening to the lot of you discuss life as though it were a giant board game, I would hate to think I was wasting my time. I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride," he said as he turned and began to untie the boat

James leaned down and gently kissed M, who still could not believe what had just happened.

"Well now that this is settled, I suggest that you two go home and prepare for your meeting with the PM. He wants to see the both of you first thing in the morning" snapped Mallory as he took a seat "And Tanner, please enter this "Marriage" into M's personal file and make sure to back date the entry to coincide with the time stamp on the pictures. I have already signed a consent form allowing them to be married; all you need to do is fill in the date!"

"Yes sir" replied Tanner

"Congratulations M and James. Once this nonsense is over, we will make the necessary arrangements to have this removed from your file"

"Why would we want to do that?' asked James "Wouldn't it just be easier to change it to the real date?"

"One step at a time Bond. She may not even like being married to you," replied Tanner

"I believe that SHE will need time to make up her mind," retorted M "I almost forgot to ask, how do we explain my apparent abduction?"

"You are technically away for a long weekend with your husband, or at least that is what the appointment book in your office says," replied Mallory with a grin

"How could you be so sure that I would agree to this asinine plan?"

"Oh so now it is an asinine plan?" snapped James

"You shush, WE will discuss this later," she said firmly

"Oh you bet we will," he grunted

"Now settle down you two and act like the newlyweds that you are, at least for appearances sake. I am reasonably sure that both your flats are being watched so do be careful and try not to make matters worse by having a lover's quarrel out in the open for everyone to see" warned Mallory

"Oh don't worry, we won't be arguing if I have anything to say about it" quipped James with a wink

"007, that is entirely too much information" replied Tanner who was desperately trying to get the mental picture that had begun to form out of his head

"What's the matter Tanner? You seem to be blushing!" said James

"That's enough James. We need to decide where we are going," said M as the taxi pulled up to the dock

"Well, being that your flat has been tossed I think we should go to mine" said James as he led her up the steps to the street

"Or there is always a hotel, either way we will both be needing a change of clothes" replied M thru a yawn

"Already taken care of Ma'am," said Tanner as he produced a garment bag "These are from your office, I suspected you might be needing them"

"Good work Tanner,"

"Hey, what about me?" asked James

"As you will be going to your own flat, I assumed that you would not be needing me to fetch you appropriate attire for the meeting with the PM," replied Tanner smugly

"Smart ass" quipped James

"Alright you two, it is late and we are all tired. Tanner, we will be in the office in a few hours, please inform the PM that we will be available at his earliest convenience" said M as she got into the car that Tanner had waiting for them

"Yes Ma'am" replied Tanner as he moved aside and let James get in the car "See you in a few hours"

As the car pulled away, James put his arm around M and rested his head on top of hers.

"Not quite the way I had always imagined this would be Mrs. Bond," he said quietly

"Remember it is in name only" she said as she snuggled against him

"For now" he replied with a grin as the car maneuvered thru the deserted streets towards his flat "For now"

To BE Continued...


	10. Chapter 10 chapter 10

**Finally after multiple technical difficulties not to mention 2 crazy weeks, I finally managed to finish this chapter. Hope it was worth the wait :)**

It was late, or rather extremely early when M and James arrived at his flat. They slowly climbed the stairs and James unlocked the door. As M was about to enter, James gently put his hand on her arm and stopped her.

"What is it James?" she asked quietly as she gazed up at him with a tired expression on her face

"I know this marriage is anything but normal, but could I at least have this one tradition?" he asked as he leaned down and gently picked her up before crossing the threshold.

"Alright James, put me down" she said noticing that he was wincing in pain "This can't be good for your ribs"

"Maybe not, but it was worth it" he replied with a grin as he put her down and wrapped his arms around her pulling her into a gentle kiss "Welcome home Mrs. Bond"

"Yes, well we will talk about this Mrs. Bond thing later" she said as she playfully swatted his arm "Right now, all I am interested in is getting a reasonable amount of sleep before our meeting with the PM" she said thru a yawn

"Really? That's all you are interested in?" he asked as he gingerly backed her up, trapping her against the door "I would think, given the last few days, we have at least earned the right to fool around just a little"

"As entertaining and intriguing as that sounds Darling, You seem to forget that legally I am not your wife, but I am still your boss"

"Technically" he said as he moved closer, using his entire body to pin her against the door "We are not in the office nor are we on an official mission. We are just two people, and as far as I am concerned, you are Mrs. Bond in every sense of the word"

"James, is this really the way you wish to start married life?" She said as she arched her eyebrow "with me in the bedroom and you on the sofa?"

"No, not really" he muttered as he took a step back

"I didn't think so," she said as she stepped around him and headed toward the bedroom, leaving him staring at his feet

"Are you coming?" she asked as she extended her hand to him

"But you just said..."

"Just because I am not in favor of consummating this marriage at this particular moment does not mean that I don't want you nearby"

James crossed the room and took her hand, bringing it to his lips

"I do love you, you know that," he said quietly

"I know"

XXXXXXXXXX

Tanner, seeing no benefit to going home for an hour headed to the office to wait for James and M to arrive. As he was waiting for his coffee to finish brewing, a noise caught his attention startling him.

"Sir" he said nervously "I didn't hear you"

"Relax Tanner; they should not be arriving for a least two or three hours yet"

"All due respect, but you do not know M like I do. When she feels backed into a corner, she tends to do rather unusual things like showing up unexpectedly hours early for meetings so she can ponder, fume and in general make our lives miserable" he replied in a slightly irritated tone.

"I am sure that 007 will find a way to keep her occupied for the next few hours, after all they have just been married"

"Thank you once again for planting that vivid mental image in my brain" snapped Tanner as he filled his cup and headed back down the hall to M's office "So was there something you needed, or were you just missing the pleasure of my company?" asked Tanner sarcastically

"Watch it Mr. Tanner, don't forget that I will eventually be your boss" warned Mallory

"Right sir"

"Actually, I was wondering if you had apprehended our suspect yet."

"As a matter of fact, Charlotte Martin was apprehended a few hours ago and is being interrogated as we speak. Apparently, she used her mother's maiden name on her employment application so as not to draw attention to the fact that she is the niece of committee member Clare Dower. It is still unclear as to how much, if any of this Ms. Dower is aware of, but it should not take our agents long to "connect the dots" so to speak,"

"Good, well not good if it leads back to my own committee, but you know what I mean. One-step closer to ending this whole bloody fiasco for once and for all. I still cannot believe that Clare Dower could be responsible for this. I know there is no love lost between her and M, but this...this is just so..." replied Mallory in an optimistic and yet disappointed tone.

"I guess you never really know someone do you sir?" replied Tanner with a hint of sympathy in his voice

"Who is conducting the interrogation, what with M and 007 indisposed at the moment?"

"Eve...Eve Moneypenny. It was decided that Ms. Martin may be a bit more cooperative if she were being interrogated by a female agent, and given the delicate nature of the situation, the fewer people involved, the better"

"Wise move Tanner. I can see why M has so much faith in you. Keep up the good work, and let me know if I can be of any further assistance," replied Mallory as he turned on his heel and disappeared down the dark hall.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

M made her way into the bedroom and was slightly shocked by the starkness of the furnishings. Aside from the bed, there was a simple chest of drawers, matching bedside tables and a lamp. There was not as much as a change dish on the chest or tables. The bed was most intriguing. Although it had a simple wooden yet elegant headboard, the bed itself was much taller than a standard bed, leaving M wondering how on earth she would ever be able to climb in. James stood back and grinned to himself as he watched her reaction. It was as if he could read her mind as he watched the perplexed expression form across her face.

"Something wrong?" he asked as he stood behind her with his hands gently resting on her shoulders

"No…no, it's just that it is so tall. You must have to get a running start to get in" she said with a nervous laugh

"It is really not as difficult as it looks" he replied as he gently picked her up and placed her on the bed.

The mattress was incredibly soft and as soon as James let go, M began to sink causing her to panic.  
"Relax Darling" he said as he pushed the mattress down on either side of her "It's only a feather bed"

"Thank God" she replied as she attempted to sit up "I thought it was trying to suck me into some kind of black hole"

"I had it custom made with twice as many feathers as a standard feather bed. It is like sleeping on a cloud"

"Well as long as we don't float away, then we should be safe" she replied with a wink as she situated herself into an almost sitting position

"I can take it off if you really don't like it" he said as he sat on the edge of the bed, placing one hand on either side of her so that he was hovering a mere inches above her.

"No, it will be fine" she said as she reached up to cup his cheek "You really do take very good care of me"

"Yes…yes I do and to be honest, it can be rather exhausting" he said as he kissed her forehead.

"Be careful there, you don't want to break your arm patting yourself on the back" she quipped

"True" he replied as he climbed in beside her and pulled her close, cradling her in his arms "A broken arm would definitely get in the way" he said as he leaned down and captured her lips.

M attempted to pull away, but gravity was not on her side and the bed itself caused her to lean unintentionally into the kiss. As she began to relax she found herself responding to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. James began to smile as he gently peppered her face with soft kisses.

"I thought you said you wanted to wait" he whispered as he left a trail of kisses down her neck

"I changed my mind" she said breathlessly as she pulled his lips back to hers.

"But what if you decide you don't like being married to me" he asked as he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse

"We will cross that bridge if and when we get to it" she replied as she tugged at his shirt until it was nearly up to his neck.

James stopped momentarily to pull his shirt the rest of the way off before he masterfully discarded his remaining clothing as well as hers.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked again as he hovered above her

"007, have you ever know me not to be absolutely sure of anything?" she replied as she as she ran her index finger down his chest sending shivers up his spine.

"I love it when you exercise your authority darling, nothing is a bigger turn on, but could we not use our titles when we are in bed" he said has he kissed her again while he used his knee to gently maneuver himself between her legs

"What? You find it somehow emasculating?" she asked with an impish grin

"No. It's just that I hear you prattling on in my ear when I'm on a mission, using my title, and this is most certainly not a mission. You are my WIFE when we are in bed, not my boss"

"Prattling on!" she snapped playfully as she adjusted herself "I can assure you it is no picnic being on the other end of this part of your missions"

"Well thankfully, you will not have to hear that anymore" he said as he held her close while he let his hands explore his new wife's body

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked as her breath caught a little as his hands roamed.

"Let's just say that, if necessary, I will use seduction to gain information, but I will NOT sleep with them."

"Oh James you say the sweetest and yet most foolish things sometimes" she whispered in his ear

James was about to respond when they heard a loud bang and suddenly the bedroom was full of armed men with MI6 badges pointing weapons at them.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" screamed M as James has literally torn from the bed and thrown on the floor, leaving M scrambling to cover herself with a blanket.

"Well Ma'am, it doesn't get much more inappropriate than this now does it?" replied one of the guards as he snapped a picture of M, nearly nude, in bed and James, naked on the floor "Now we have undeniable proof of the inappropriateness of your relationship with your agent"

"I beg your pardon!" she said as she wrapped herself in the blanket and got out of bed to stand toe to toe with the moron who had led the charge into THEIR bedroom

"We shall see what Mr. Mallory and the PM have to say about this. Until now all we had were suspicions, deep suspicions, but no real proof, but now we have photos and these photos do not lie."

"True, however, they also do not tell the entire story" she said coolly as she stepped around him and handed James his dressing gown. "As luck would have it, we have a meeting with Mr. Mallory and the PM in a few hours. We would be deeply honored if you and your co-conspirators could join us" she concluded

"We would be delighted" replied the guard as he motioned for the men to leave the room "Well done 007, bedding the boss, however did you manage it?" he said sarcastically

James took a step forward and was about to connect his fist with the smug guards face when M put her hand on his arm and shot him an angry glare causing him to stop mid stride.

"Good to know she keeps you on a short leash, even in the bedroom" he quipped as he left the room.

Once James had made sure that they had ALL left, he angrily stomped back into the bedroom, to find M heading for a shower.

"Why the hell wouldn't you let me have just one shot at him?" he asked angrily

"All in good time darling" she said with a wink as she disappeared into the bathroom "All in good time"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	11. Chapter 11 Chapter 11

**Sorry this took so long, I promise the next chapter will be posted more quickly :)**

James stormed around his flat while he waited for M to shower and dress. When she finally reappeared he had more than a full head of steam and was not about to let the subject drop.

"Christ M, Just give me one good reason why you wouldn't just let me have one go at him?" snapped James

"Because, we have enough problems without having to explain how an MI6 guard was mortally wounded in your flat at five o'clock in the morning," she snapped back angrily

"And just how did they know we were here?" he asked as he came to stand in front of her

"Is this a trick question?" she replied arching her eyebrow "It is no secret that they have been watching both our homes, just waiting for us to show up…surly that idea has filtered thru that somewhat addled brain of yours"

James was stunned by her comment. She had called him careless, arrogant and headstrong, stubborn and irresponsible, but never addled. Could she really believe that he was incapable of processing the events of the last few days?

'I'm sorry James, that was uncalled for, it's just that you have not been yourself these last few days due to the medication you were given…"

"Are you hungry?" he asked, quickly changing the subject

"What? No and stop changing the subject" she replied as she moved to sit on the sofa

"M, I may be "Addled" as you put it, but to my recollection you have not had more than two bites of actual food in the last two days" he said as he sat beside her

"James. I am truly not hungry, a bit frustrated, tired and angry, but not hungry" she said as she reached over and took his hand "Now why don't you go get showered and dressed"

"So what are we going to do?"

"We are going to meet with Mr. Mallory, the PM or her Majesty herself if that is what it takes to clear this mess up" she said defiantly

"And what exactly is the plan?" he asked, knowing full well she had a plan spinning around in her head

"We calmly wait and listen to all of the accusations before we respond. I want to know exactly what we are defending ourselves from. No sense divulging information that has no relevance, and then, once we have heard and seen all of their so called evidence…"

"We systematically pick them off one by one?" he said with a wink

"No! We pray we have a good, believable excuse and then we move on"

"You do realize that some of your decisions, as far as I am concerned, will be called into question? I know that you have defended my actions on more than one occasion…"

"James, although I don't always agree with your methods, and I do whole heartedly believe that there are other, less costly and certainly less flamboyant ways to accomplish your goals…You do always manage to complete your missions and you have a 99% success rate. So while my annual budget takes a massive hit every time I send you out, I know that you will return having done what was necessary to complete the mission" she said as she leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to his lips "Now if you are done playing twenty questions with me, would you kindly get your arse in gear so we can get to the office in time for Tanner to brief us before we head to the PM's office?"

"I suppose that I am to remain silent during these proceedings?" he said as he rose and headed toward the bedroom

"I think it would be best. I, unfortunately, have had years of experience dealing with these types of situations and…"

"You are afraid I will lose my temper and say something that will make matters worse?"

"Something like that" she said as she leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes

James showered and dressed, returning a few minutes later to find M sound asleep on the sofa. Not having the heart to wake her, he retrieved a blanket and covered her, softly placing a kiss to her forehead. "Damn she is even beautiful when she's asleep," he thought to himself as he gazed down at her. He gently pried the cell phone out of her hand and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him so as not to wake her.

"Tanner? It's me, have you had any luck cracking Ms. Martin?"

"Bond? Where is M?" snapped Tanner "You haven't gone and lost her have you?"

"Relax; she is asleep in the other room. We had a rather rude wake- up call about an hour ago so needless to say…"

"Yeah, I get the picture," replied Tanner in an annoyed tone

"No, I don't think you do. We had a full complement of MI6 guards descend on us, bursting thru the door, weapons drawn, snapping pictures of us in what could be considered a rather compromising position, pictures that by the way you will need to make sure never see the light of day. Please tell me that you and Q have had time to insert that document into mine and M's personal file," he said anxiously

"007 have a little faith. Unlike some people I know, I do as I am told, when I am told" he replied smugly

"No need to be a smart ass. I just do not want any unnecessary surprises when we meet with the PM"

"Well in that case, you should be aware that this "Attack" for lack of a better word was aimed at the both of you, not just M," said Tanner

"I'm sorry?" replied James in a confused tone

"Do you remember the mission in Belgium a few months ago? The one where you were sent in to capture the hospital intern suspected in bio-terrorism ring and you destroyed the fleet of ambulances and the entire research wing of the hospital?"

"Vaguely"

"Do you remember a young Doctor….a Doctor Lawrence that you took into custody or rather kidnapped and brought back for questioning?"

"Yeah, the self-righteous, arrogant little bugger who kept saying I would be sorry someday for interfering in things my small mind simply could not comprehend"

"That is the one. We've done some checking and it turns out that Dr. Lawrence just happened to be the fiancée of one Charlotte Martin…and she…"

"Just happens to be the niece of one Clare Dower, mortal enemy of M"

"Something like that. If you recall, Dr. Lawrence committed suicide while in your custody via cyanide capsule."

"I remember, I also remember receiving a sound dressing down for not checking his teeth for said capsule. How was I to know the little shit was had a cyanide capsule in his back molar? I'm an agent, not a dentist,"

"Anyway, Apparently, Ms. Martin blames you and M for the death of her fiancée, and it might also interest you that those were NOT MI6 guards that broke into your flat. A delivery truck was ambushed and the guard's uniforms were stolen two days ago"

"And you just neglected to share that bit of information with us earlier?"

"I just found out about it, and we are currently in the process of rounding up said guards."

"How did you...?"

"I'm not an idiot 007, I knew as soon as you took her "home" they would be watching and so were we" replied Tanner smugly" Now back to Clare Dower. As far as we have been able to determine, Ms. Dower has no idea or involvement in this fiasco, however once she has the evidence in her hand, and it has been confirmed that she has received a copy, I have no doubt that she will attempt to use it to her advantage. There is nothing she would like more than to see M disgraced and removed as the Head of MI6." Concluded Tanner

"Well that is never going to happen."

"I've pulled all of the files pertaining to that case as well as the support files that contained the evidence that led to you being assigned to that mission. I will fill you in on the rest of the details when you arrive"

"Good work Tanner. We will be in as soon as I wake sleeping beauty," replied James as he disconnected the call

"Who were you talking to?" asked a rather sleepy M

"Hey, I assumed you were still asleep" he said as he crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head

"That's what you get for assuming, now who were you speaking to?" she asked again in her best no nonsense tone

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," replied James as he released her

"007, I am in no mood for games at the moment! Would you kindly answer my question?"

"I was getting an update from Tanner. He has been able to establish who some of the responsible parties are, but he is still working the rest"

"Care to share? Or are you going to make me wait until we get to the office?"

"It all goes back to that pain in the arse Dr. Lawrence and the mission in Belgium a few months back"

"I see," she said as she crossed her arms

"Apparently, he was the fiancé of Charlotte Martin,"

"And who is Charlotte Martin again?"

"The pretty little nurse in medical who kept injecting me with the "Vitamins" who also just happens to be the niece of Clare Dower…"

"Oh brilliant, as if that woman needs another reason to torment me" snapped M

"It is still unclear what Ms. Dower's involvement, if any, is in all of this, however, we do know that she received a copy of all of the evidence against us and it would not surprise anyone if she tries to use that "evidence" against us" replied James as he came to stand in front of her

"Then it would stand to reason that she will be present at the meeting this morning" said M, her voice trailing off as she stared at the floor "That woman has been looking for any and every reason to have me removed as head of MI6 ever since Silva tried to blow her head off…"

"Yes, I believe you have said as much, but don't worry, I have a plan" he said with a wink as he gently took her arm and led her toward the door

"And what would that be?" asked M as she stopped and glared at him

"I'll tell you if and when it becomes necessary" he replied mysteriously

"James! Contrary to popular belief, this is serious. I do not like surprises and I will not be able to defend your actions, should you do something profoundly stupid in front of the PM, so I would appreciate it immensely if you would just sit quietly and let me do the talking…is that clear?"

"Crystal, Ma'am" he replied as he escorted her out the door.

The ride to the office was eerily quiet as M sat almost lost in her thoughts as she stared blankly out the window as the sun was just beginning to peek over the rooftops.

"A penny for your thoughts" said James quietly as he took her hand

"I am not altogether sure they are actually worth a penny at the moment" she replied flashing him a weak smile

TO BE CONTINUED...


	12. Chapter 12 chapter 12

Once they had arrived, James and M made their way up to the office with M leading the way with a look that could have frozen a tidal wave in its tracks. Eve was on the phone while Tanner met them at the door, took one look at his boss and stepped aside as she stormed into her office.

"MR. TANNER!" she shouted as she rounded her desk

"Yes Ma'am" he replied in an almost apologetic tone as he followed her into the office and shut the door.

Eve hung up the phone and sat at her desk, almost afraid to breathe as she shot James a questioning look

"Sorry Eve, I guess she is not much of a morning person is she?"

"Well then the news I have is sure to make her day" replied Eve nervously

"Oh please let it be good news"

"It all depends on how you look at it" she replied "The PM's office called and apparently he has reviewed the documents he has received and he has requested that Mr. Mallory take care of this situation as he has other more important matters to attend to" she said with a smile

"Well that should certainly calm her down a bit," replied James with a smile "What do you suppose happened to change his mind? He seemed eager to discuss this matter with M personally a few hours ago"

"Well, that was before he received the amended copy of your and M's personal file" replied Eve with a confused look

"Well that certainly changes the game now doesn't it" replied James with a wink

"What exactly was in that those files anyway?" asked Eve curiously

"James!" snapped M, loud enough to be heard thru the closed door

"Excuse me Eve, I believe that I hear my wife beckoning" said James with a wink as he opened the door

"You're what?" replied Eve as a look of surprise and confusion suddenly flashed across her face

"What kept you?" demanded M angrily "We have a meeting with the PM in less than an hour and you are busy chatting up my secretary?"

"First off Darling" he said as he rounded the desk and leaned down to kiss her cheek "I am a married man so chatting up your secretary, lovely as she is, is completely out of the question and second, I was gathering a vital piece of information that just may pique your interest" he said smugly

"Number one, your arrogance will only get you into further trouble at the moment" she snapped angrily "Number two, you will keep your hands and any other part of your anatomy to yourself when you are in this building or on official business…DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

"Yes Dear" he said quietly

"Now what is this new, vital piece of information? And that should be yes Ma'am!"

"Apparently, the PM has had a change of heart in light of some new information he received this morning and he has decided to let Mr. Mallory handle this situation internally"

Tanner stood silently, attempting to conceal a smirk as he stared at his feet

"What was this new information if I may ask? Or am I to be blindsided with it at the meeting?"

"It's alright M," said Tanner "The PM just happened to have an amended copy of yours and 007's personal files end up on his desk"

"And I suppose you did this?"

"Just following orders Ma'am," replied Tanner as he shot James a nervous glance

"Fantastic! Why didn't you just send out an interoffice memo to commemorate the occasion?" M replied as she closed her eyes and began to rub her temples

"Calm down M, don't get your knickers in a twist. Why don't you use the fleeting spare time we have and collect your thoughts while I go and chat with Tanner for a moment" said James as he looked at Tanner and nodded toward the door

"Why? What are you up to?"

"Just a few last minute details" he replied as he blew her a kiss and disappeared out the door, closing it behind him

"Only you could get away with talking to her that way," said Tanner, almost in awe of the way James handled M

"She's my wife," quipped James with a smirk

"Only on paper 007, a fact you seem to keep forgetting. Contrary to popular belief, just because one is technically a captain of a ship, no matter the size, does not allow said person to marry whomever they please. There are very strict rules on this matter. It may interest you to know that Mr. Mallory is not considered a diplomat and after a little digging, I discovered that the "Captain of our Vessel" was no more a retired Navel chaplain than I am…"

"Paper, shmaper…we will quietly make it completely legal when this whole mess is over Tanner. Where are we with rounding up the so-called guards that invaded my flat earlier?" asked James, quickly changing the subject

"Funny you should ask. They were not very bright. We caught all but one a few blocks from the flat. The last one was apprehended entering Ms. Martin's apartment building about an hour ago, still wearing his stolen uniform…why?"

"Do you think it would be possible to have Ms. Martin and her "Friend" join us at the meeting with Mr. Mallory?"

"That should not be a problem, but won't their written confessions be enough?"

"I need them there as leverage should things begin to go pear shaped," replied James "Just be sure to keep them out of sight until I ask for them. Also, is the forensic team done at M's flat?"

Tanner nodded as he gave James a puzzled look

"Eve, could you place a call for me to this number? Ask for Lady Velvet. Ask her if she could send her people to M's flat and put it back in order. It does not matter if everything is back in its correct place as long as it is in place"

"Wouldn't it be better to use our own people?"

"No. M has had her personal life violated enough in the name of Queen and Country. Lady Velvet and M had developed a rather unique relationship over the last forty eight hours and Lady Velvet as proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that she and her people can be discreet," replied James

"Right...anything else?"

"Yes, have a large bouquet of white roses with one red rose in the center sent to her flat,"

"I'm not even going to ask," mumbled Tanner as he dialed his phone to have the two assailants moved to Whitehall

James knocked on the office door and waited a moment before entering. The last thing he wanted was to incur the wrath of M at the moment, as she was his one and only ally.

"M?" he said quietly as he poked his head into the office. Not seeing her at her desk, he entered the office and closed the door behind him.

M had moved to her sofa to lie down and had fallen into a light sleep.

"M darling, it's time to go," said James quietly as he knelt beside her and placed a soft kiss to her lips

"I know," she said as she turned her head to face him "I just couldn't keep my eyes open"

"Well I am not surprised. You haven't had more than fifteen minutes of continuous sleep in the last two days" he replied as he helped her sit up "When this is over I intend to make sure that you do not get out of bed for at least a week" he said with a wink

"Yes, about that...We really need to sit down and discuss how we are going to quietly dissolve this "Union" and get back to business," she said flatly

"What makes you think I want to "Dissolve" our union?" he asked in an almost hurt tone

"James, I know that you think you have feelings for me, but I also know that you did what you did to protect me..."

"I did what I did because I LOVE YOU!" he snapped

"I know you think it is love, but let's be honest...I am too old for you, I am your boss...I am..."

"You are my WIFE and don't go forgetting that, and..."

"Yes, well we will talk about it later" she said as she rose from the sofa

"You can bet your life on it MA'AM!" he said angrily as he headed toward the door with M close behind

"Just one more thing James" she said as she placed her hand on his arm "I do not think it wise to mention our "marriage" unless absolutely necessary. With Mallory leading the meeting, he is more than aware of our situation so unless..."

"I know, I am to be your "dirty little secret" unless absolutely necessary," replied James angrily as he opened the door

James stormed thru Eve's office with a scowl on his face with M close behind and it became very apparent to Eve and Tanner that things were not going well between the two of them.

"I knew this would happen," muttered Tanner under his breath

"What?" asked Eve suspiciously

"He's gone and actually fallen in love with her or at least the idea of being married to her,"

"Shouldn't you be going with them?"

"I am not going anywhere near that hornet's nest unless I absolutely have to. Those two need to sort this out for themselves" replied Tanner as he went back to reading the file he was holding

James and M barely spoke to each other on the short ride to Whitehall and the seemingly endless walk to Mallory's office seemed to take an eternity, but as soon as they entered the outer office M's professional persona took over and she was able to mask her confusion and anger so that even James had a hard time telling what she was thinking.

"Good Morning M, Commander Bond. He and Ms. Dower are waiting for you, "said Mallory's secretary as she rose and opened the door for them.

"Good Morning M...007, I believe you both know Clare Dower? Please take as seat so that we may begin," he said motioning for them to sit.

"Good Morning Mr. Mallory...Ms. Dower" replied M as she took a seat. James opted to stand behind her until M shot him one of her famous death glares causing him to take a seat next to her.

"M...Commander Bond" said Clare as she narrowed her eyes and glared at them

"Now Clare, I believe that you said that you had some concerns about M and Bond."

"Yes, quite a few actually" she replied smugly "It has come to my attention that there is more to their relationship than just one of employer/employee and that along with a long list of what can only be described as a flagrant misuse of power not to mention completely inappropriate behavior for a woman of her age and her position...It defies all logic"

"For example?" said Mallory calmly

" M allowed the hard drive containing all of the undercover agents and their missions to be stolen, and then showed a complete lack of judgment when she allowed herself to be kidnapped by her own agent and used as bait in order to trap and kill a known terrorist, all the while putting numerous citizens at risk. The financial costs due to his recklessness alone on every single mission are enough to make ones head spin, and she allows it...no she makes excuses and allows it to continue, and then there was that trouble in Belgium a few months ago when a completely innocent man was taken, against his will, and subsequently died while under his supervision and then there is his comings and goings at all hours of the night from M's flat...all of which can be proven from the photos in this file" she said holding up a thick file " And then of course there is the matter of being caught "red handed" sleeping with his boss...and SHE...she has allowed all of this to happen without even batting an eye. She is well past retirement age and quite frankly she is becoming a menace to society"

M's blood pressure was beginning to soar as she listened to Clare drone on and on about how she had mishandled her agents and her personal life, and she was about to comment when Mallory interrupted.

"And this most recent incident...M took him to her home, against medical advice when she had been warned that he could be a danger to himself and others, his medical file shows he attacked her and yet she allowed him to stay with her..."

"Now Clare" he said firmly "007 did in fact use M as bait to trap and neutralize the threat from Silva, but it was M who suggested and even helped plan the events leading to his demise, at great personal risk to herself I might add. As for the good Doctor,...Doctor Lawrence was it? He was not as innocent as you were led to believe. I have here the file that led to his capture and believe me, his involvement in the bio-terrorism ring was more than just innocent bystander and as a matter of fact, his death was a direct result of his cowardice as he took his own life... and as for the most recent incident concerning 007, I think if you read the entire file, you will find that he had been given a drug of unknown origin, causing his unusual behavior"

"That does not explain her lurid relationship with her own agent, half her age? Not only is it against regulations, it is completely absurd. Why on earth would a man his age want to be with someone her age unless there was something in it for him...?"

James had had enough of listening to this horrid woman rant on and on about M and her ability to run her department and he had heard more than enough about their relationship.

"What's the matter Ms. Dower? You almost seem jealous of M," snapped James

M snapped her head to the side so fast it was a wonder she did not do permanent damage to her neck as she shot an icy glare at him

"So what is it Commander Bond? What has she promised you that you would take to sleeping with someone who is old enough to be your mother?"

"Clare...may I call you Clare?" he asked as he rose and moved toward her until he stood directly in front of her "I promise you that anything that M has done was done with a great deal of consideration for those involved. She does not send her agents out on a whim... there has to be a great deal of verifiable intelligence before she would even consider sending one of us out on a mission!" he said as he clenched his teeth "And as for the matter of our relationship," he said as he leaned down and placed his hands of the arms of her chair, effectively trapping her in her seat as he leaned in until he was nearly nose to nose with her "Although I would love to tell you that it is none of your bloody business, I will tell you that, the last time I checked, it is not a crime to sleep with ones wife" he snapped as he pulled back and stood up

"You can't be serious? You and M? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard" replied Clare

"You may think it is ridiculous, but it is true" chimed Mallory as he held up the "Marriage" certificate "I approved it myself a few months ago when they came to me and asked permission

"And I will thank you to stop insulting my wife" replied James as he crossed the room, leaned down and gently kissed M on the lips, taking a little more time than was actually necessary in order to prove his point "I happen to love my wife very much, and I will do whatever is necessary to protect her professionally and personally"

M sat speechless as she looked back and forth between James and Mallory, her head beginning to throb.

"And what does the great and powerful M have to say about all of this?" snapped Clare as she glared at M

"I have nothing to add that Mr. Mallory or my Husband has not already said" she replied coolly "Clearly you have misjudged the value of your evidence"

"You have not heard the last of this!" she replied angrily as she rose to leave

"Oh I believe we have" snapped James as he half pulled M from her chair "M darling, you look a bit pale, why don't you go home and rest and I will join you in a bit" he said as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again before gently pushing her toward the door

M gave him a quizzical look as she headed toward the door. "God I hope he knows what he's doing" she thought as she left the room.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	13. Chapter 13 Chapter 13

**Sorry this took so long, hope it was worth the wait :)**

Once the door had closed behind M, James turned his attention back to Clare.

"So I guess the cat is out of the bag," said Clare with a smirk "Now we know who is really running MI6!"

"Ms. Dower, I can assure you that M is in charge of MI6, but that is not what this is all about now is it?" replied James

"Are you implying that I have orchestrated and invented all of this evidence which proves that your boss or should I say wife and I use the term loosely is not performing her duties?"

"No, but I am just dying to know how you obtained your information? Medical records, especially those of MI6 agents are classified as are mission reports and the address of the Head of MI6, so I guess what I am asking is how did you manage to legally obtain the files?"

"That is the same question I have been asking myself" said Mallory as he rose from his chair and rounded the desk "The Committee usually receives updates on things that pertain to budget issues and things that deal with National Security and I fail to see how our agents medical records, M's address or her relationship status fall into any of those categories"

"OH PLEASE Gareth, wake up and smell the coffee. M's so-called marriage is a sham; an excuse so she can sleep with her agent, the same agent that she nearly always turns a blind eye to when he fails to follow orders!"

"I am beginning to think that the entire Dower family has a personal vendetta against M and her agents," replied Mallory as he leaned against his desk

"I'm sorry?" said Clare with a confused look on her face

"Well between you and your niece and her actions as of late...what else could I think?"

"My niece? What does she have to do with this?"

"P...plenty" replied James angrily as he grabbed the back of a chair to steady himself

"007 are you alright?" asked Mallory

"Fine, I'm fine"

"Why don't you take a seat while I see if our guests have arrived?"

"But how did you..."

"You didn't think you could just have a prisoner transferred to Whitehall without my being notified now did you?"Replied Mallory as he picked up the phone to ring his secretary

"I suppose not"

"Prisoner? What prisoner?" asked Clare

"Before you say anything else, I think you should meet with your accomplices and get your story straight," said James coolly

"My WHAT?" shouted Clare as Charlotte and her friend were brought into the room

"Charlotte! What the hell is going on?"

"Hello Auntie Clare" she said in an almost defiant tone

"Your Niece and her friend were arrested the morning on suspicion of Terrorism, Assault and Battery, Attempted kidnapping, Attempted Assault and Battery of a top government official, Breaking and Entering, Invasion of Privacy, obstruction of Justice and anything else I can dream up" said Mallory sharply

"There has to be some mistake" replied Clare as she rose and walked toward Charlotte "Charlotte, tell him..."

"Tell him what?" she snapped, "That since you and the rest of your precious committee couldn't discipline M and her agents and make them pay for the wrong they have done, it fell upon we the people to do it for you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Andrew Auntie Clare, they killed Andrew. They said he was a terrorist and they killed him!"

"To be clear Ms. Martin, Dr. Lawrence killed himself" said James

"Only because you made him do it!" she hissed

"No, I brought him in for questioning and he killed himself. He knew that the evidence against him was pretty damning and there was no way out."

"That wasn't true. You planted the evidence..."

"And I suppose I sent the encrypted messages to known terrorist organizations advertising that I had chemical weapons of mass destruction for sale to the highest bidder" snapped James

"Now everyone just calm down. The issue here is not the guilt or innocence of Dr. Lawrence, the issue here is the attack on M and more importantly 007"

"Oh yes, your precious M, the one who makes the rules but is not inclined to follow them. It never ceases to amaze me that she is allowed to be happy while she systematically destroys the happiness of those around her with about as much emotion as if she were swatting a fly!"

"I beg your pardon?" said Mallory as he arched his eyebrow

"I suppose it escaped your notice that she has been sleeping with her agent right under your nose, a sever breach of conduct and one that carries the penalty of dismissal, but then I suppose that does not apply to her" smirked Charlotte

"Actually, Ms. Martin, had you done your homework, you would have found that M is entitled to "sleep" with this particular agent as he happens to be her husband"

"It's not in her records," replied Charlotte

"And just how do you know what is in her records?" asked Clare

"I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I could, inadvertently, incriminate myself"

"No need to answer the question. Q branch has already traced the breach in security to your personal computer," said Mallory as he glared at Charlotte "We have also been able to directly link you to the envelope that was delivered to your Aunt that contained the information and pictures of M and 007, so there is really no point in trying to deny your involvement"

James sat back in his chair and listened to Mallory drone on and on about what would happen to Charlotte and her accomplices. His head was beginning to spin, and he found it necessary on more than one occasion to rest his head against the palm of his hand.

"007...007 is that acceptable to you and your wife?"

"What?" asked James as his attention snapped back to the conversations taking place "Is what acceptable?"

"That you would forgo pursuing civilian charges against them and allow MI6 to file charges"

"Yes, that will be fine"

"And what about the disciplinary actions for M and James?" Asked Charlotte angrily

"They have broken no laws or rules. They followed proper channels and filed the proper paperwork so that they could be married, so in the eyes of the PM and myself, they have done nothing wrong" replied Mallory

"But she had THAT MONSTER kill Andrew!"

"Dr. Lawrence's death was ruled a suicide, no further action is required and that matter is closed! Guards, you may take Ms. Martin back to detention until arrangements can be made for her transfer to a more suitable location"

"I cannot believe that this is happening," said Clare quietly

"Yes, well it is, and I suggest you retain a good lawyer for your niece and yourself as well, I have a feeling you are going to need one" replied Mallory as he escorted her toward the door

Once everyone had left, Mallory turned his attention back to the obviously ailing James.

"I think we should get you over to medical, you are not looking well," he said with noticeable concern in his tone

"No thanks, I have had enough of that department to last a lifetime," snapped James as he struggled to stand "But I would appreciate it greatly if you could have Tanner drive me to M's flat. I have a feeling I have a lot of explaining to do when I get there" he said with a weak smile

"Good luck 007, she does not take kindly to being ordered around and certainly not being ordered out of the room," replied Mallory with a grin

"I just figured that this was a husband protecting his wife matter and not a Head of MI6 matter"

"Well let's just hope she sees it that way," replied Mallory as he helped him to the door "Tanner will meet you downstairs"

Once he got into the car, James leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes in an attempt to keep his head from spinning.

"007, how long has it been since you actually slept or ate anything substantial?" asked Tanner in a worried tone

"I have no idea, why do you ask?"

"Because your face has the same greenish tint as the dome at St. Paul's cathedral at the moment and you look as though you could use a few toothpicks to keep your eyes open"

"Is this your idea of a pep talk, because I have to say I have heard better" replied James sarcastically

"I am just saying that if you don't do something to perk yourself up, she will see right thru you and ship you directly to medical"

"I don't think she will be ordering me back there for a while," replied James

"Don't count on it" replied Tanner as they pulled up in front of M's flat "She may have gone along with you ordering her out of the room at Whitehall, but that is where your super powers end. You are like the Wicked Witch in Munchkin land here...you have no power and no authority and like it or not, she is NOT your Wife. You two are only married on paper...it isn't legal"

"So she's angry?"

"No, just quiet and believe me that is worse than angry"

James groaned as he got out of the car. He dreaded going into the flat, but eventually he would have to face the wrath of the "Evil Queen of Numbers", even if she is his wife.

He stood at the door, pondering an answer to every conceivable argument she could possible come up with before he finally reached out, opened the door, and went inside.

"M?" he said quietly as he walked thru the foyer and stood in the doorway to the sitting room

M was sitting on the sofa with a drink in her hand staring at the fireplace. It was odd really, as there was no fire, but she swirled the dark liquid in her glass before downing the drink and resting the glass in her knee.

"I assume you have answered all of their questions?" she said, not taking her eyes off the fireplace

"About that"

"Yes?" she said raising her eyes to meet his

"I was just trying to...I wanted to...I'm sorry" he finally said as he crossed the room and stood in front of her

"What part of stand quietly by my side and let me do the talking was unclear?"

"M..." he said as another wave of dizziness passed over him

M seemed unfazed as she watched him lower himself carefully onto the coffee table and rest his head in his hands

"I once asked you if it was possible for you to remain emotionally detached...I see that you have not changed, You charge in, guns blazing...or in this case words blazing with little to no concern for the ramifications all in the name of duty" she said angrily " But then you are you and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's what makes you an effective agent," she said quietly

"Well wh...What did you want me to do? That woman was ..."

"Questioning my authority as well she should, it is her job. You and Mallory both seem to think that by my appearing to be married, it would solve all of the problems, but in turn, it only poses new problems. In all likely hood it just pushed me closer to the door," she said as she rose and stepped around him

"M!" he said angrily as he rose and grabbed her arm, spinning her around so she was facing him "You have to under…understa…understand…"

"Understand what!"

"You have to understand that…that..I…Love...you..." he stammered let go of her and fell to his knees, holding his head

"James!"She gasped as she knelt beside him "Can you hear me?"

James curled up in the fetal position on the floor and began to drift in and out of consciousness

M quickly grabbed her phone and dialed Tanner, asking him to send an ambulance to her flat. She also asked that Q and the doctor that had treated James earlier meet them in the medical department.

"Hold on James" she said as she cradled his head in her lap "Help is on the way"

To be continued...


End file.
